BAP chief: Reinstate us and end impasse

The Basketball Association of the Philippines said yesterday that it would again seek reconsideration of its expulsion by the Philippine Olympic Committee after the POC-stakeholders delegation failed to get a decision from the FIBA to lift the country’s suspension in their Seoul meeting.

"The crisis of basketball that is hampering the development of the sport cannot be ended by means of expulsion and isolation. Consensus and unity are the keys to ending the impasse that stops the Philippines from competing in international basketball events," BAP president Joey Lina said in a statement.

"Basketball is a national interest, and the division we continue to experience only causes disappointment and disdain from our countrymen, who long to see the Philippines play basketball against the best teams in the world," Lina added.

Lina made the statement even as POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. has said he now sees the light at the end of the tunnel after their meeting with the Fiba top brass in Seoul, Korea Tuesday.

"The meetings opened FIBA’s eyes to the reality of basketball in the Philippines," said Cojuangco. "Our goal was to fully explain the facts that led to the expulsion of the BAP by the POC. We also wanted to find out the next steps to take in complying with the conditions of our Memorandum of Understanding with FIBA leading to the lifting of our suspension."

"The POC cannot and should not continuously ignore the BAP and its 50 member-organizations which has a constituency and a population that is larger than the PBA, PBL, NCAA and UAAP combined," said Lina.

He maintained that the last four organizations, though more popular are concentrated only in Metro Manila. "The BAP, on the other hand, has members not only in Metro Manila, but in all regions of the country," he said.

The BAP said it will convene all its member-organizations nationwide after the Holy Week to map out the moves to fast track the lifting of the Fiba suspension.

In its plan to seek reconsideration of POC’s expulsion, the BAP said, this time, it would be backed by an amended constitution and by-laws, similar to what the original five stakeholders had agreed upon.