THE PBA decision to lift the indefinite suspension of Calvin Abueva ended a long, arduous wait for the Phoenix Super LPG star.
The PBA announced on Sunday morning the lifting of the suspension following a meeting with league and team officials, and Abueva.
In the league statement, the PBA said that commissioner Willie Marcial “also laid down the fines and penalties (suspension) that will be meted out by the PBA Commissioner's Office should Abueva commit on and off-court misdemeanor in the future.”
The lifting of the suspension ends a 16-month wait for Abueva, who was banned indefinitely by the league shortly after doing a clothesline hit on TNT import Terrence Jones. Even prior to the incident on Jones, Abueva was also caught doing lewd gestures with Bobby Ray Parks’ girlfriend during a game.
The wait was a roller coaster of emotions, to say the least.
Last September 2019, Abueva was given the green light by the PBA to rejoin Phoenix Super LPG’s practices, with Marcial saying that he allowed the enigmatic star to take part in training because he is gaining weight.
With Abueva absent, Phoenix struggled on the court, with then head coach Louie Alas hoping that the reinstatement of the star will happen soon. The reinstatement didn’t happen as Phoenix missed the playoffs in the Commissioner’s and Governors’ Cup.
In the lead-up to the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, Abueva was once again allowed to join in Phoenix scrimmages, but was barred from taking part in tune-up games including the pocket tournament it organized during the preseason.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic struck that led to the postponement of the PBA Philippine Cup, and the wait dragged on.
During the pandemic, fans got to see the other side of Abueva as he was seen giving away food for the less fortunate. He also tended to his business that he opened during his suspension.
Last July, Abueva finally bared the process he needs to undergo in order for his suspension to be lifted by the PBA, saying that he was asked by the league to conduct a series of drug test and psychological tests.
But as months continued to come by, clamor soon grew from fans calling for the reinstatement of Abueva especially when the PBA was in the process of staging its bubble in Clark, Pampanga.
It grew even more when he was barred from inclusion in the roster of Phoenix in the PBA bubble. #LetCalvinPlay soon became the call of the fans on social media. Alan Trinidad, Abueva’s longtime coach in Pampanga, even pleaded to Marcial in a post on SPIN.ph’s social media especially with the bubble being held in his home province.
Still, Marcial begged for understanding last September as the process is what’s good for Abueva.
Eventually, Abueva was given the green light to join the bubble, but before entering, he met with officials of the GAB where the government agency bared that he needs to undergo a seminar on the Code of Ethics of being a professional athlete and a mandatory drug test.
Abueva regularly joined team practices, but was reduced to a spectator and even a cook for the Fuel Masters, who opened the bubble season with two straight wins. But Phoenix suffered two straight defeats following the strong start, heading into their final game of a three-match, five-day whirlwind against Magnolia.
The Fuel Masters though finally broke their losing skid in style as they overcome a 17-point deficit to beat Magnolia, 91-84, on Friday. During the postgame press conference, Phoenix coach Topex Robinson expressed his emotions, fighting back tears after telling the media that they were dedicating the win to Abueva, who as the day went by wanted to play even more when the Fuel Masters struggled to pick up victories.
“I love Calvin. Everybody loves Calvin. And again, we are doing it for Calvin,” Robinson said.
The morning after that emotional press conference, PBA officials met with Abueva, Robinson, and team manager Paolo Bugia where Marcial finally lifted the suspension, with the league releasing a formal statement on Sunday.
The wait was finally over.
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