HANGZHOU, China, September 22 ------ Gilas Pilipinas’ last-ditch effort to include four players in its final roster remains up in the air just two days before the 19th Asian Games unfold. But Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Thursday he’s pressing on with the appeal to the Hangzhou Games organizers, vowing to fight “a thousand times” for the inclusion of Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, and Jason Perkins to the national men’s basketball team.
Perkins and Abueva were not included in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) original 60-man pool forwarded to the organizers months ago, while Romeo and Tautuaa were also struck off the team in a separate 37-man list that was submitted to overrule the original, older list of 60. “We will push it a thousand times, we’ll push it every time they deny it,” Tolentino said after the flag-raising ceremony for the country at the Asian Games Village on Thursday. With the likely ineligibility of the four players, the SBP announced last Tuesday that it tapped PBA stars Chris Ross, Kevin Alas, Arvin Tolentino, Marcio Lassiter, and FIBA World Cup roster member CJ Perez – whose names were previously submitted to the organizers – as last-minute replacements. Lassiter was included to take the spot of TNT star gunner RR Pogoy, who was granted a release due to injury.
Gilas Pilipinas – whose delegation is set to fly to China on Saturday – kicks off its campaign against Bahrain on Tuesday, September 26, at 1:30 pm. The Philippine plea started during the delegation registration meeting last Sunday and was expected to wrap up on the same day. But the procedure has dragged on two days before Saturday’s opening ceremony. Aside from the basketball roster shakeup, the POC also sought the inclusion of fencers Alexa Lareabal, Hae Abella, and Lee Ergina, golfer Chanelle Avaricio, and gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar.
The appeal, however, was denied with finality by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. “We are praying for fair sports and we strongly hope to separate all other issues from the Games,” said Tolentino. “Geopolitics has no place in sports. Sports unites people.”
Source: rappler.com
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