DON’T expect coach Yeng Guiao to go soft in his crusade against questionable officiating just because the PBA has started to employ female referees.
The fiery Rain or Shine coach said he will still air his displeasure over what he feels is a spotty call even if it will be whistled by a lady official.
“I try not to think about gender during the game,” Guiao said after the Elasto Painters dropped a 101-98 loss to TNT Katropa in the two teams' Governors’ Cup debuts on Wednesday night.
“Siguro, the way I would react to a bad call by a male referee is the same way I would react to a bad call by a female referee,” he added. “Ayaw ko naman na mawala ka sa focus na you want to express yourself tapos nakita mo na babae siya, bigla kang matitigilan. (Anyway) if you go overboard, she can always call a technical on you.”
[See Guiao explains decision to bench Lowhorn late in loss to TnT]
Guiao already expressed his sentiments to SPIN.ph last year when the league started tapping the services of female referees in the D-League.
Edith Boticario, who made history along with Janine Nicandro as the first two female referees in Asia’s first pro league, was among the referees who called the ROS-TNT match.
“I thought that there was one bad call from the lady referee,” Guiao said. “She called a foul on Maverick Ahanmisi when I think it should’ve been a charge on Jayson Castro.”
Guiao said she simply won’t discriminate against sex.
“I think they will all be judged based on their performance, not on whether they’re female or male—or otherwise,” the outspoken mentor said.
“To me, equality pa rin naman 'yan eh,” he concluded.
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