Cruel intention
The Games and Amusement Board ( GAB) is making a massive mistake in drawing a line between professional and amateur athletes.
In its joint resolution with the Philippine Sports Commission ( PSC), GAB stressed that athletes who are getting paid are considered as professionals while those who are competing for the country or for their respective universities should be classified as amateurs.
On the surface, it looks like an innocent attempt to redefine law.
But underneath, it appears like an attempt to kill commercial leagues and destroy the athletic dreams of young athletes.
Although the Premier Volleyball League and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League were also mentioned, it is no secret that the Philippine Superliga ( PSL) was the target of the GAB-PSC resolution.
I was told that GAB was salty after the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases gave it an approval to restart its season.
These athletes do not receive salaries as high as that of PBA players.
Suddenly, GAB wants to classify the league as professional and its players have to secure GAB license before seeing action in the PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2020 on 26 November.
I really don’t know why GAB is lusting to have PSL under its control.
First, it didn’t have any consultation or hearing with its team owners and players if they are ready to turn pro.
And second, it didn’t send any representative to check the league its financial records, its policies and gate attendance.
The PSL is not a professional league — it is a commercial league.
It was not created to make money out of ticket sales, advertising, broadcast rights and merchandises. It was formed to serve as a marketing vehicle for brands to promote their products while giving volleyball players from all walks of life an avenue to display their talents.
Unl ike the Phi l ippine Basketball Association, which is regarded as the first play-for-pay league in Asia, PSL players are not full-time athletes.
Some of them are commercial models like Mika Reyes of Sta. Lucia and Rachel Anne Daquis of Cignal, corporate executives like Carol Anne Cerveza of Generika- Ayala, mothers like Aiza Maizo-Pontillas of Petron, students like Eya Laure of Chery Tiggo and Cesca Racraquin of Marinerang Pilipina and military personnel like Jovelyn Gonzaga of Cignal, Mary Jean Balse of Petron and Royse Tubino of Sta. Lucia.
These athletes do not receive salaries as high as that of PBA players.
All they get is meager allowance, not because they played, but because they promoted the brand through competitive volleyball.
The PSL is not a professional league — it is a commercial league.
Unlike in the United States where the distinction between amateur and professional is crystal- clear, here in the Philippines, it is very blurry with a lot of gray areas.
In the US, student-athletes are not allowed to accept money from sponsors, boosters, commercial teams and even sports federations.
One fine example is Yuka Saso. When Saso bagged a pair of gold medals in the 18th Asian Games, she refused to accept a total of P9.3 million cash incentive from the PSC that was in accordance with the Republic Act 10699 — the Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act of 1990.
Saso, who was still in amateurs at that time, begged off from accepting the reward, fearing that it could affect her.
For her accepting money is tantamount to relinquishing her amateur status.
In the Philipines, it’s different. We have amateur athletes who have professional contracts.
Heck, even our brightest bet in the Tokyo Olympics in Eumir Marcial just pocketed a cool P10 million after signing a contract while national volleyball team stars like Jaja Santiago and Bryan Bagunas are being paid while competing in Japan. Cue artists like Dennis Orcollo, Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit are also smiling their way to the bank while donning the national colors.
True enough, the premise that those who are getting paid to play are professionals and those who are competing for the country are amateurs is reeking with conflicts and gray areas.
And only a person with cruel intention and political ambition will push for it to jack up his clout and gain control over leagues and athletes to advance his personal interest.