The International Basketball Federation (more commonly known by its acronym FIBA, which stands for Fédération Internationale de Basketball) today doled out stiff penalties to the players and coaches embroiled in the brawl at a recent FIBA qualifying match.
The incident occured earlier this month, wherein members of the Gilas Pilipinas basketball team and Australian Boomers became involved in a melee at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
FIBA ordered the suspension of 10 Gilas Pilipinas players from several games of the international body’s World Cup 2019 Qualifiers.
Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright were suspended from one game; Terence Romeo, Jayson Castro William, Andray Blatche and Jeth Rosario were suspended from three; and Roger Pogoy, Carl Cruz, and Jio Jalalon were barred from playing in five.
The player with the most suspensions is Calvin Abueva, who was not allowed to play in six games.
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Even Gilas Pilipinas’ coach Chot Reyes was not spared. He was suspended from one game and was ordered to pay a hefty fine of CHF10,000 (more than PHP535,088 or US$9,976.84) for “inciting unsportsmanlike behavior.”
His assistant, Joseph Uichico, was suspended from three games. Uichico was seen throwing punches at members of the Australian team from outside the court.
The country’s basketball federation, the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), was also called out by FIBA for “unsportsmanlike behavior” of its members and of the audience during the game.
FIBA ordered that the next home game of the Philippines should be done behind closed doors. SBP was also ordered to pay a fine of CHF250,000 (or more than PHP 13,375,000 or US$249,405.06).
Only three Australian players were suspended from FIBA’s matches: Chris Goulding (one game), Thon Maker (three games), and Daniel Kickert (five games).
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Basketball Australia, Australia’s basketball federation, was fined CHF100,000 (more than PHP5,350,000 or US$99,764.27) for removing the decals from the floor of the Philippine Arena shortly before the match.
In its statement, FIBA emphasized that “it condemns any form of violence, both on and off the court. Respect, sportsmanship and professionalism are expected from players, coaches, officials and all other stakeholders at every game.”
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