PSC offers to broker POC-BAP talk

The Philippine Sports Commission is willing to step in and help end the raging war between the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Basketball Association of the Philippines.

William "Butch" Ramirez, the newly appointed PSC chairman, said he is just waiting for word from either group so the government sports agency can step in and mediate.

"We can always sit down and talk. The POC and the BAP with the PSC in the middle," said Ramirez, adding that the controversy is no longer helping the country as it prepares to host the SEA Games in November, especially as far as basketball is concerned.

"The PSC is willing to bridge the gap between the POC and the BAP. As it is, we are already in the middle of both since we both recognize them," he said.

"Though the PSC is not under the POC umbrella, we feel the urgency to help settle the issue. This must be resolved soon," added the PSC head.

Since the controversy broke out a couple of months ago, the two sports bodies have been at tremendous odds, forcing the POC to suspend the BAP and even consider the latter’s permanent expulsion.

The POC General Assembly will convene on June 30 and, if plans push through, will vote on the BAP expulsion. It needs a three-fourths vote or 30 of the 39 members to expel the BAP from its official roster.

A committee formed by POC president Jose Cojuangco to look after local basketball while the BAP is suspended has drawn up a new body, the Basketball Federation of the Philippines, Inc., to take over once the BAP is expelled.

The BAP has shown defiance despite the suspension, electing a new set of officers and staging local and international tournaments as if nothing has happened. It also announced its readiness to send its team to the Men’s SEABA Championship in Singapore in August or even the SEA Games in November.

The BAP named former Local Governments Secretary Joey Lina as its new president replacing Tiny Literal and gave sports personalities like former POC president Cristy Jalasco (the daughter of former President Fidel V. Ramos) and Lito Alvarez of Air 21 key positions.

"Not because we are suspended means that we can no longer re-organize," said Alvarez during the PSA Forum last week, adding that the BAP will simply continue to function as long as it enjoys the recognition of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation).

"When the POC suspended the BAP, did it also suspend the players and the national team as a whole?" a sports official asked. "Or did the POC suspend the BAP with the intention of forming a new basketball body and a team of their own?"

"I think the POC suspension was too general,"said Ramirez, adding that what was clearly emphasized during its announcement was that the BAP can no longer draw any financial assistance from the PSC, the government’s funding arm in sports.