Blatche still barred from Asiad despite FIBA endorsement

MANILA, Philippines – The Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (IAGOC) stood firm in its earlier decision to disqualify Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche from the Asian Games despite FIBA's endorsement letter.

Korean website sports.naver.com reported that IAGOC insisted that the Asian Games follow the Olympic Council of Asia's rules, which are based on the charter of International Olympic Committee (IOC) and not the FIBA world governing body.

According to OCA's game rules particularly on Chapter 3 articles 49 and 50, Blatche must have satisfied at least three years of residence or holds a permanent residence in the Philippines after he was naturalized.

The same rules disqualified Chinese Taipei's naturalized player Quincy Davis and nine players of Macau football team, according to Taipei Times.

FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann wrote the IAGOC an endorsement letter to appeal Blatche's case shortly after the IAGOC rejected the position paper of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)  to make Blatche eligible for the Asian Games on Friday.

The country's delegation chief of mission and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia told Philstar.com on Friday that Blatche's case is already bleak and they just instead ask for a provision to replace him with original naturalized player Marcus Douthit.

"Yung kay Blatche, [halos] wala na 'yun. So ang hinihingi namin ngayon ay kung puwede siyang palitan. Kasi sa sulat nila (IAGOC) eh parang ayaw nila palitan eh," said Garcia during the Asian Games delegation send-off party last Friday.

However, in the same report of the Korean website sports.naver.com, the IAGOC says "the Philippines has to choose a substitute player for Andray."