Goma wants cage stint in Asiad
The chef-de-mission to the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia is keeping his fingers crossed that basketball officials would reconsider their decision not to send a team to the regional event set Aug. 18-Sept. 2.
“Technically, our basketball team is still accredited. We have not formally informed the organizers of our withdrawal,” said chefde-mission Richard Gomez in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Gomez said while the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas headed by Al Panlilio had announced the withdrawal of the basketball team, breaking the news through social media, it has yet to be formalized with the Asian Games organizers.
Gomez, a multi-sport athlete and now president of the Philippine Fencing Association, clarified that the SBP cannot deal directly with the Asian Games organizers about their withdrawal because such action will have to go through or come from the CDM secretariat.
“They are not authorized. Any such communication will have to come from the CDM secretariat,” said Gomez.
The SBP decided to pull out the basketball team to the Asian Games last week despite the willingness of Rain or Shine, a PBA ballclub, to represent the country, with Yeng Guiao of NLEX as coach.
The decision comes in the aftermath of the ugly brawl between Gilas Pilipinas and the Australian Boomers in their FIBA Asia Qualifiers last July 2 at the Philippine Arena where 10 Gilas players and two top coaches were later suspended from one game to six games.
In the absence of a topnotch team that can vie for the gold, the SBP decided to forego the Asian Games participation, and instead focus on the next window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Gomez is hoping that the SBP would change its mind before the DRM (delegation registration meeting) in Indonesia on Aug. 8 or 10 days before the opening ceremony.
“Maybe in the next few days they will change their mind and we can still send a basketball team,” said Gomez, adding that if the SBP stands firm in its decision, the Philippine Olympic Committee can take the cudgels and send a basketball team under its watch.
The last time the Philippines failed to send a basketball team to the Asiad was in 2006 when the national basketball federation was under FIBA suspension.
Pulling out the basketball team, according to Gomez, will also lead to fines or sanctions from the organizers.
“I’m still hoping,” said Gomez, who also wished that the SBP would prioritize the Asian Games as much as it prioritizes the FIBA World Cup or even the Southeast Asian Games.
“The Asian Games is just as important as the World Cup or even the SEA Games. And the fact remains that we have a team that’s willing to represent the country,” he said.
“If you’re looking at the World Cup, let’s win the Asian Games first. Let’s go for the smaller apple before we think of the big apple,” he said.