No end in sight for basketball row

The controversy in basketball remained unresolved as the two warring groups stood their ground on the legitimacy issue with one faction citing a court ruling on its status while the other invoking its affiliation with the international federation.

Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI) secretary general Nic Jorge yesterday reiterated the association’s legal standing should carry more weight before the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), which recently declared a "hands-off" policy in BAPI’s legal claim.

The Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), on the other hand, said that FIBA, the international basketball federation, maintained that it would not be dragged into a controversy involving the legitimacy issue between the two bodies since it has long recognized the BAP as the sole governing body of basketball in the country.

FIBA president Carl Men Ky Ching stressed this in a recent talk with BAP president Tiny Literal to further support the decision of the FIBA Central Board not to entertain the claims of the BAPI.

FIBA sec-gen Patrick Baumann, according to Literal, said "there is no reason for the FIBA to enter into the discussions that are currently being held in the Philippines " and that they "expressed regrets that basketball is once again in the negative spotlight in your country."

For his part, POC sec-gen Romeo Ribaño said it is the policy of the POC to recognize the NSA (national sports association) "enjoying the sanction of its own international federation," in this case the BAP.

On the other hand, Jorge said he is satisfied with the POC’s present stand, although the BAPI leader lamented the POC’s continued recognition of the Literal group.

"At least, the POC knows that it could not ignore what the courts say. The Court of Appeals and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) have spoken with finality, in an order that is also executory, that the illegitimate association controlled by Graham Lim and Tiny Literal, could not in any way function as the legal basketball association," Jorge said.

Jorge also said the Philippine Sports Commission, which had already reviewed the Court of Appeals decision and was backed by an OGCC opinion, will have to recognize the order, being a government agency.