DAMN if you do, damn if you don’t.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan said criticism will always be there whether the federation sends a men’s team to the 18th Asian Games or not.
As brickbrats mounted over the last-minute decision not to participate in the region’s biggest sports spectacle, Pangilinan said criticism is also inevitable if a national team fails to perform according to expectations.
“Yeah, I know that there have been some criticisms about this decision. On the other hand, if for some reason, the team does not perform well, siguradong tatambakan din kami ng batikos. So either way we move...” said Pangilinan as he talked about the sensitive issue in public for the first time during an affair celebrating Cignal hitting the two-million subscribers mark at Shangrila Hotel on Tuesday night.
“Ang ayoko lang is sending a token team. Hindi ko naman sinasabi ditong Rain or Shine, pero it's unfair to them naman.”
The SBP has taken a lot of heat for its decision not to send a team to the Asiad next month after Rain or Shine took up its offer - and got PBA board approval - to fly the flag in Indonesia.
PH chef de mission Richard Gomez on Tuesday said there is still time to reconsider the decision as the country still has until August 9 to inform the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) about a final decision.
A report by SPIN.ph later in the day, however, disclosed a formal letter has already been sent by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) informing the organizers about the country’s withdrawal from the basketball competition.
Pangilinan admitted he was quite aware of the public clamor to reconsider the decision as well as the criticism as the country sits out the Asiad for just the second time - the first in 2006 when the country was under suspension from Fiba.
“It does, of course,” he said when asked if the SBP has been affected by the public outcry. “We have our social media listening post, so we take a dipstick every so often on what the public reaction is and would be in respect to this decision. Taken in the round, mukhang okay rin naman.”
Like any basketball-loving Filipino, the chairman of Smart and PLDT is also saddened by the decision the SBP had to make.
“All of us are quite regretful. We all know basketball occupies a special place in the hearts of Filipinos so it was a tough decision and one that saddens all of us,” he stressed.
Pangilinan declined to discuss the events that led the SBP to make one of the most unpopular decisions in Philippine basketball history.
All he talked about at length was how the Asiad pullout was precipitated by the July 2 brawl between Gilas Pilipinas and Australia that led to the suspension of 10 Filipino players and two of the national coaches.
“It’s difficult to look back, that’s why the press statement of the SBP was carefully crafted. We don’t want to get into this blame game because that’s very counter- productive,” said the 72-year-old long-time basketball patron.
“The overriding consideration is, given the suspension meted out by Fiba on the Gilas team, it’s a setback to the Gilas program so we decided we should focus on reviving that program and getting the (Gilas) team back on its feet,” added Pangilinan.
“So how we do it is of course another question, another matter for us to consider, but that’s the overriding considerations that color our judgment.”
The former SBP president also believes eventually time will prove the federation did the right thing.
“I think the SBP should deal with the more substantive matter given the antecedents laid down by the Fiba decision,” he said.
“It’s really very important that we look at how we can rehabilitate the team and focus on 3x3, grassroots, etc., things that in the short run look not the correct decision, but I think in the long run is the right thing. Palaging ganun naman, we have to think long term about Philippine basketball.”
In parting, Pangilinan offered his apology to the entire basketball-loving Filipinos, but at the same time begged for understanding for the 'agonizing' decision.
“Unang-una apologies to all, it was a decision not taken lightly. Hindi naman padalos-dalos ang desisyon na yun, pinag-isipan namang mabuti,” said Pangilinan.
“I think most of us agonized over that decision because as I’ve said, palaging gusto ng mga Pinoy na makita ang ating basketball team to compete.”
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