GAMES and Amusement Board chairman Baham Mitra has warned of sanctions to both teams and players involved in the controversial Vismin Super Cup game between Siquijor and Lapu Lapu on Wednesday night.
Mitra expressed his disgust over the conduct of the match inside the debutant league's bubble in Alcantara, Cebu, which saw players from both sides attempt to bank in free throws and blow wide-open fastbreak layups.
“Ang sama. They better convince us that their game was just an off night, otherwise sanctions will be meted out and possible license revocation,” said the son of the late House Speaker Ramon Mitra.
A media statement released by the league said the match was stopped due to a power outage. However, SPIN.ph learned the game was called off out of disgust by Super Cup COO Rocky Chan and by the GAB officials on the ground.
As a host of basketball personalities led by PBA star Kiefer Ravena and coach Charles Tiu condemned the actions of the players, the GAB is set to announce the result of its investigation on Thursday, Mitra said.
This early, Mitra said he won't hesitate to punish those found guilty.
“We always believe in self-regulation , but GAB will always be ready to step in anytime specially if integrity is at stake,” said Mitra.
“Professional players should act professionally, hindi pwedeng mas propesyunal pang panoorin sa kanila ang mga manlalarong nagpakakamatay para sa ice tubig sa mga barangay. Paparusahan natin ang mga dapat parusahan,” he warned.
Under Mitra, GAB has been very proactive in regulating professional sports. It is also at the forefront of government efforts to restart sports leagues around the country, provided these follow strict health protocols.
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