Fernandez wants ‘deep’ GAB inquiry
Sports commissioner Mon Fernandez wants the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) to dig deeper into the controversial game between ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu and Siquijor in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup last Wednesday.
One of the country’s greatest basketball players, Fernandez said GAB should get to the bottom of this issue since it is the one responsible for the issuance of professional license of the fledgling league.
Fans were shocked watching the farcical game between the Heroes and the Mystics.
Aside from clanked shots, botched plays and lazy defense, players appeared not interested to win, sparking speculations that the game was rigged.
The organizers stopped the match midway into the second period before launching an investigation that yielded a barrage of suspensions among players and coaches involved.
Interestingly, one of the players involved is a nephew of Fernandez.
Fernandez said GAB chairman Abraham Mitra should come up with a deep and impartial investigation.
“GAB chairman Baham Mitra should dig deeper on this,” Fernandez said in a telephone interview.
“Well, in a way, they (GAB) are responsible for this. It should not be that easy to establish a professional league.”
Fernandez, the country’s chief of mission to the 31st Southeast Asian Games, knows what he is talking about.
Aside from being a four-time Most Valuable Player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Fernandez was the first commissioner of the defunct Metropolitan Basketball League (MBA), a tourney that is similar to that of the VisMin Cup.
Fernandez said before granting a league a professional status, GAB should carefully scrutinize its organizational structure, business model and the personalities behind it, including the characters of players, coaches, team managers and even team owners.
“They should know the structure of the organization, the team owners and the training of referees,” Fernandez, an iconic figure in Cebu basketball, said.
“Not that we are questioning their capabilities, but they have to be open regarding the information of the team owners and officials just like in the PBA and the MBA.”
GAB had already launched an investigation, but has yet to come up with findings.
“I think Chairman Baham is already doing something about it,” Fernandez said.