BIG Chill has been slapped with a P150,000 fine for staging a 'partial walkout' in its PBA D-League Foundation Cup match against Blackwater Sports last Monday.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud reached the decision after meeting Superchargers head coach Robert Sison and team manager Paul Lee at the league office on Tuesday.
"Premeditated or not, the 'partial walkout' violated a rule and carries a fine. You cant mock the rules of the league," Salud said.
"For the incomplete walkout, this office fines Big Chill the amount of P150,000," he added.
Big Chill and Sison showed their displeasure over the officiating during the second quarter of their game against Blackwater Sports by walking out of court and retreating to the dugout, only to return minutes later.
The Superchargers coach also hit out at the officiating in the league, which he said is getting "crazier and wilder."
But Salud said the quality of the officiating of the game was not the issue in the case.
“That is not the issue. The issue here really is the non-observance of sportsmanship,” said Salud.
Recently, Rain or Shine was slapped with a P2 million fine for staging a similar ‘partial walkout’ in Game Six of the PBA Philippine Cup against eventual champion San Mig.
While penalties on ‘partial walkouts’ in the PBA is already cast in stone due to similar incidents in the past, Salud said it is a different case in the D-League.
“Sa D-League kasi, it’s really discretionary on the part of the Office of the Commissioner,” Salud told Spin.ph.
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