SBP’s Panlilio hopes ‘basketbrawl’ won't affect Phl's hosting of FIBA World Cup

Tensions and emotions may have simmered down, but the pangs of regret remain as observers await FIBA's sanctions for the brawl that marred the PhilippineAustralia game.

And the president of Philippine's basketball federation could only hope that the governing body's penalties won't be too harsh - to the extent that they would cost the country's hosting of the basketball World Cup in 2023.

"I'm hoping that's not affected at all. I think we worked very hard to win the hosting, we've proven our worth," Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas' Al Panlilio said Wednesday during the Philippine Olympic Committee's general assembly.

"I think we have proven that we can host, can take care of them, security is not an issue, I hope that it's not just being played up because I reassured the (chairman) of the Australian Basketball. I went to the floor during the break, during the time that they were reviewing the issue. They were safe, nothing happened to them, the crowd will not hurt them. Maybe in other countries, it would've been different, but in the Philippines, it won't happen," he continued.

The governing body for all of the world's basketball games and federations announced immediately after the incident at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bualcan, that it will open an investigation, and that a decision will be revealed in the coming days.

Following the incident that occured in the third quarter of the Philippines-Australia game on Monday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers, FIBA will now open disciplinary proceedings against both teams. The decision(s) will be communicated in the coming days.—

Philstar.com