FIBA uneasy about disunity

After a long process to gain recognition as the national governing body for basketball, the SBP is back to proving to FIBA that it has the support of the sport’s major stakeholders, downplaying claims by minor players of disunity within the ranks.

FIBA, which has suspended the Philippines thrice for political reasons in the past, recently formed a “special commission” made up of chairman emeritus Borislav Stankovic, former president Carl Men Ky Ching and legal counsel Ken Madsen to look into allegations that the situation in the SBP is unstable.

In a communiqué sent to the SBP from FIBA’s Geneva headquarters, secretary-general Patrick Baumann said the commission is expected to mediate issues of conflict and the terms of its mandate will be announced in the next few weeks.

Baumann referred to a case filed by the BAP against the SBP as jeopardizing the objective of unity and discrediting the efforts of athletes to move the country’s basketball program forward. He also said the commission will look into the compliance of the terms of the Bangkok Agreement which specifies steps in forming a unified association involving legitimate stakeholders.

What was surprising in Baumann’s letter was his pronouncement to reinstate BAP secretary-general Graham Lim as a member of the FIBA Youth Commission “after the special commission successfully completes its mandate.”

Lim is widely known to be behind efforts to discredit the SBP which replaced the BAP as the Philippine Olympic Committee-recognized General Assembly member for basketball two years ago.

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Although it has been stripped of authority, the BAP continues to exist. It has twice failed to bring down the SBP in court. Sources said the BAP frequently bombards the FIBA office with correspondence by e-mail and fax to destroy the SBP’s image. Lim reportedly called Baumann a racist when FIBA withdrew support from the BAP and instead backed the SBP, a move that caused his removal from the Youth Commission.

But sources said Baumann had a change of heart after a recent meeting with Lim and other BAP officials in Hong Kong , brokered by Men Ky Ching and FIBA-Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock.

Two politicians are backing up Lim – Rep. Luis Villafuerte as BAP chairman and former Rep. Prospero Pichay as BAP president. To prove it isn’t extinct, the BAP is organizing the 7th Asian University Championships in the San Andres complex this weekend. Among the participating teams are Dankook University of Korea, University of Luzon, Universal College and City College of Manila. The tournament is far from being in the same level of competition as the UAAP and NCAA which are affiliated with the SBP.

SBP executive director Noli Eala said yesterday he is not alarmed by FIBA’s formation of a special commission but will seek clarification on its mandate.

“Unfortunately, this problem is attributed to the BAP,” said Eala. “We went through an objective process of deciding which are the legitimate leagues, associations and stakeholders and in the end, we elected a Board after a Unity Congress. It’s a pity that the BAP wouldn’t agree to our call for unity and instead, filed a case in court. The BAP is sowing disunity, not the SBP.”

Eala said with the SBP in control, the country’s basketball program is back on track with a competitive national team leading the charge.

“We would like to resolve our problems internally but if some parties refuse to abide by what is lawful, we won’t back down,” continued Eala. “We won’t be pushed around. We stand by what is right and the sport’s legitimate stakeholders are behind us.”

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Eala said the SBP will hold its National Congress at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati on June 10.

“We’ll review our performance during the Congress and take the opportunity to get together with our stakeholders,” said Eala.

Last year, the BAP went to court in an attempt to declare its officers as the SBP’s lawfully elected trustees but was turned down by the Regional Trial Court and later the Court of Appeals. The case is now with the Supreme Court.

The BAP also tried to rename itself the BAP-SBP but the Securities and Exchange Commission refused to allow it in a final and executory judgement.

“We realize FIBA must be aggravated by the BAP’s continuing crusade against the SBP,” said Eala. “Philippine basketball is moving forward with the SBP. We can’t afford to take a step back just to accommodate a renegade group out to destabilize the SBP.”