Sigh of relief

When the FIBA special commission decided to uphold the SBP’s authority to govern basketball in the country as a federation affiliate and NSA in Geneva the other day, the sport’s major stakeholders heaved a sigh of relief. Not just because the SBP was finally vindicated and the BAP repudiated but also because it meant the way was clear for Powerade Team Pilipinas to play at the FIBA-Asia Championships in Tianjin on Aug. 6-16.

“No suspension” was the underlying message in the special commission’s decision.

With one fear gone, one more remains – the fear of being blasted to smithereens by the opposition in Tianjin. Make no mistake about it, that fear is real. The national team has a lot of regrouping and revitalizing to do before reaching a level where it can be competitive against usual contenders China, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Korea, Japan and Chinese-Taipei. But that’s another story.

For the moment, there is reason to celebrate.

It was a calculated gamble that the SBP took in showing up for the three-day deliberations set by the special commission in Geneva on the basis of charges by the BAP that the SBP has been remiss in complying with the terms of the Bangkok Agreement forged two years ago to ensure peace and unity in Philippine basketball.

The SBP was never informed what the BAP’s charges were and with known BAP ally Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching sitting in the special commission, it looked like an ambush loomed in Geneva. The news that FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann met with BAP officials in Hong Kong to listen to their gripes was disturbing, to say the least. FIBA had previously assured the SBP it would no longer communicate with the BAP so why was there a change in policy?

A veteran sports official even advised the SBP to skip the Geneva meetings because attendance would mean submission to the jurisdiction of the special commission whose fairness was under suspicion because of Dr. Ching’s presence. Once the SBP submits to the jurisdiction, there would be no way out. It was like walking into a trap.

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But the SBP was convinced it had done no wrong, that it was on the right track and that compliance with the Bangkok Agreement was logically defensible. If FIBA played fair, there was no way the SBP would lose in a confrontation with the BAP.

As it turned out, the BAP shot itself in the foot. The BAP wasn’t represented in Geneva at all. The claim was the BAP officials failed to obtain Swiss visas. Why? If the SBP officials got visas, why not the BAP officials?

The scuttlebutt was someone in the BAP delegation was being counted on to foot the bill to fly over and he saw the futility of spending a tidy sum for nothing. What charges could the BAP present to the special commission that wouldn’t be easily refuted by the SBP?

SBP executive director Noli Eala went to Geneva ready to make an hour-long, power-point presentation to prove that Philippine basketball, under the SBP, was moving forward – debunking at the same time the BAP’s baseless accusations. When Eala made his presentation to the special commission, an insider described it as “convincing.”

Would the BAP have made a similar “convincing” power-point presentation? Who would’ve delivered it? What evidence could it cite to support the contention that the SBP was not complying with the conditions of the Bangkok Agreement? 

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What made things worse for the BAP was last Tuesday, it sent an e-mail to FIBA with several demands. The BAP didn’t even bother to fly to Geneva and instead of appealing for reconsideration, made demands – two of which were ceding the SBP chairmanship to the BAP and appointing a BAP nominee as treasurer.

Aware that the BAP might still make a fight of it, FIBA jumped the gun by announcing any appeal or protest of the special commission’s decision would not be entertained by the world body. Any appeal or protest would be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which is based in Lausanne. A case filed before the Court will require a hefty budget for travel, accommodations and legal fees. So that for all intents and purposes, the BAP’s claim for recognition is dead.

“It’s quite a long trip but it was worth it in order to save Philippine basketball,” said POC chairman Rep. Monico Puentevella who attended the deliberations. “We’re thankful to FIBA. Let the games begin.”

IOC senior member Frank Elizalde said the special commission’s decision was “an excellent result.” He added, “Please give my congratulations to all parties involved - now (the SBP) must maintain ongoing contact with FIBA to counteract future black propaganda from BAP.”

A former PSC consultant said, “Truly, the BAP is the biggest joke in Philippine sports – hopefully, it self-destructs!”

Puentevella, however, said the SBP shouldn’t gloat but instead, reach out to legitimate stakeholders and encourage them to participate in the effort to move Philippine basketball forward.