GAB chair bucks stripping of PBA player?s license
By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 12 Mar 2014
Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Juan Ramon ?Monju? Guanzon yesterday opined he does not favor the cancellation of licenses of professional basketball cagers who refused to render service for the upcoming FIBA World Cup in Spain this August.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, head of the House Committee on Games and Amusement, in a national daily, said that GAB should not issue license to play to those PBA players who were selected to be with the national squad, but refused to join.
Further, the lawmaker stressed that there are some PBA players who have forgotten to serve the country.
However, Guanzon made three primary reasons why he?s not in favor of the lawmaker?s idea, namely: there is no legal basis; the player?s fitness to play; and it is a violation of the individual?s right to livelihood.
?Firstly, what?s the legal basis for GAB to cancel the players? licenses when they won?t play for the national team? We will be taking this up in our Board meeting,? the GAB chief said.
?Second point, based on my experience, an athlete whose mind and heart aren?t in the game will not really perform the way we expect him to. Even if he?s a superstar, or even if he?s Michael Jordan, he won?t be effective in the team,? Guanzon said.
?If we forced him to play and commit error, then, the entire Filipino nation might put the blame on the team management for compelling this cager to play,? he explained.
?Lastly, granting that those injuries are true and they wanted to take some rest, will you be going to deprive them of livelihood?? he opined.
Barangay Ginebra?s rookie center Greg Slaughter and San Miguel Beermen wingman Marcio Lassiter, who both played for the Gilas squad under former coach Raiko Toroman, waived themselves from the 17-man pool for the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games in South Korea.
Both pro cagers claimed that the team which finished second in the FIBA Asia Championship deserved to play in Spain.
Slaughter, the 6-foot-11 center from Cebu, stressed that after playing for the national squad in the last several years, he knew the feeling of those in the team when someone new comes in.
On the other hand, San Miguel Corporation executive Robert Non, in a statement on the PBA website, said that no less than the company?s president, Ramon Ang, tried to talk Slaughter into staying in the pool.
Gilas is bracketed in Group B in FIBA World Cup with Senegal, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Greece, and Croatia.(WATCHMEN DAILY JOURNAL)
http://www.watchmendaily.com/sports/gab-chair-bucks-stripping-pba-players-license/
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