Salud declines cage offer

Lawyer Rudy Salud has declined the offer to join Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) president Joey Lina and Pilipinas Basketball (PB) president Bernie Atienza in the three-man panel designated to oversee the formation of a unified governing body for the sport.

Cardiologist Dr. Carlos Esguerra advised Salud to avoid stressful activities for a year from last February when he underwent a delicate heart operation to implant a defibrillator in his chest to be automatically triggered in case of an emergency.

Esguerra polled the others in Salud’s team of doctors, including Dr. Gary Martinez and Dr. Giselle Domingo, and arrived at a consensus dissuading the former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner from accepting the offer. He conveyed the consensus during Salud’s check-up at the Medical City Hospital yesterday afternoon.

The work that Salud was expected to perform in the panel was considered to be stressful by Esguerra. When Lina and PBA commissioner Noli Eala phoned the other day to broach the idea of joining the panel, Salud said he would study it after consulting his family and doctors.

Salud has undergone three heart surgeries and survived two strokes but is now on the road to recovery.

‘"I am declining this offer with a heavy heart," said Salud. "It would’ve been an honor for me to serve on the panel that is tasked with the important mission of finding a permanent solution to our leadership problem in Philippine basketball."

But Salud said he would make himself available for any consultation as necessary. Lina, Eala and Atienza were informed of Salud’s decision late yesterday.

"Commissioner Salud would’ve been perfect for the panel because of his integrity, experience, sense of fairness, knowledge and passion for the game," said Eala. "I’m disappointed but at the same time, I respect the doctors’ advice. I wish Commissioner Salud well and I’m looking forward to next year when his doctors will allow him to be involved in sports once again."

POC first vice president and Rep. Monico Puentevella said he, too, was disappointed. "I’m not surprised," he added, "because this will be a very stressful exercise as we experienced in Tokyo drafting the joint communiqué but God will find a way."

Sources said there are seven others being considered to fill the "neutral" vacancy in the three-man panel.

The three-man panel has until Sept. 30 to accomplish the tasks related to the formation of the unified body as stipulated in a joint communiqué drafted in Tokyo last Monday.

But the immediate deadline is tomorrow for announcing the composition of the three-man panel.

Salud said he hopes the name of the merged organization will be resolved and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will agree to recognize it even before the panel’s first meeting. "I personally think if the name is settled and the POC recognition is assured, everything else will be smooth sailing," said Salud. "In my opinion, I would like to retain the BAP because of its history and tradition. Remember, a Filipino, Lito Puyat, qualified to become a two-term FIBA president because he was the BAP president. But as there was a prior agreement to change the name, then the issue is settled."

Salud said it is critical for the POC to send a clear signal that recognition of the new organization is imminent.

"Without the POC’s recognition, the effort in forming a new organization will be half-baked," said Salud.

"It will be useless to talk about a unified body if in the end, there will be no accreditation from the POC."

Salud said he was also concerned that the PBA may not agree to join the new organization but was assured by Eala there is no impediment to the league’s membership.