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THE
executive director of the Basketball Association of the
Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP)
said he finds it difficult to sew together the factions
within the federation, apparently one of the reasons why
he is stepping down.
Patrick
Gregorio tendered his resignation to BAP-SBP president
Manny Pangilinan Wednesday, which will take effect on
May 31.
In a
faxed statement, Gregorio bemoaned the fractured
situation within the federation. “This is a major
obstacle that I am not in a position to solve without
the support of basketball stakeholders,” he said.
For the
first time since the merger of the BAP and the SBP, a
high-ranking official from the federation revealed there
is a crack on what on the surface looks like a unified
stand among basketball stakeholders.
“Why is
politics always getting in the way of what is good for
the country and for sports?” Gregorio added. “Sad to
say, Philippine basketball remains fragmented.”
The day
Gregorio’s resignation takes effect is the same day the
federation will hold its elections. The May 31 conclave
has already been marred by the politics Gregorio
explicitly condemned, with the two sides advancing their
own affairs in order to gain sufficient advantage when
the elections come around.
A
veteran basketball insider said it’s hard to figure out
the ramifications of Gregorio’s resignation, if there
are any.
“A lot
of things can still happen but, basically, it boils down
to the elections. I mean, you don’t know which side is
going to win and how the side that loses will take the
loss,” the insider said. “So if you ask me if the
resignation per se means anything, I’d say it doesn’t
mean anything because there’s still an election that’s
coming up.”
One of
the immediate concerns with Gregorio’s resignation is
the continuity of his projects. During his term, he put
up coaching clinics and solidified the national youth
and women’s teams, among others. Gregorio said he will
make time to speak with those concerned with the
projects before his term ends.
The
fragmented nature of the federation doesn’t only involve
the long-drawn battle between the BAP and the anti-BAP
parties that eventually formed Pilipinas Basketbol (PB).
It also includes disgruntled parties within the PB side
which claim to have been disregarded when the federation
was finally merged into the BAP-SBP.
When
asked who the best person to replace Gregorio was, the
insider was terse. “I want the right people governing
there.”
“The
situation of basketball in the country has not changed
because the people at the helm have little or no
experience at all in this type of field” the insider
added. “It looks like we’re almost back to where we
started.” |
