Dayrit sees early solution to BAP leadership crisis

Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit yesterday said the two warring factions in the Basketball Association of the Philippines have been working behind the scene seeking a long-term solution to the problems that have hounded the BAP since December.

Dayrit, caught in the middle of the leadership dispute between the groups of Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat and Quintellano "Tiny" Literal, said both parties are close to agreeing on the formation of a five-man BAP steering committee with only the final details, particularly its composition, being ironed out.

Manny Pangilinan, the chairman of the Puyat faction, had proposed the formation of the steering committee. If approved by both parties, it could lead to the lifting of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) suspension on the BAP and pave the way for the sending of a national team to the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in September.

"We are looking at a long-term solution that would go beyond the SEA Games. The two parties are close to an agreement and we’re now working out the composition of the steering committee," said Dayrit.

Meanwhile, Philippine Karatedo Federation president Eduardo Ponce yesterday said he will ask Philippine Sports Commission chairman Carlos Tuason to reconsider a July 11 memo preventing him and karatedo coach Clodualdo Alpapara from entering the government-controlled Philsports Complex, the PKF’s training ground.

Tuason issued the memo since Ponce is undergoing investigation for possible violation of the PSC’s financial policies as charged by the other PKF faction led by Joey Veguillas. Alpapara was also barred from entering the Philsports premises for his alleged participation in some anomalies within the group.

"I will try to ask chairman Tuason to reconsider the memo because that’s the proper thing to do," said Ponce.