Allado blasts PBA; Salud calls him nuts, a sore loser

PBA COMMISSIONER Chito Salud yesterday said Barako Bull center Don Allado is “out of his mind and a sore loser” after the latter’s tirade against the league over a social network site but said that the league is willing to give the player his day in court.

Salud also suspended Peter Balao, a Class A referee who missed a  crucial call in the stretch of the Powerade-Barako Bull knockout game on Tuesday for the rest of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Balao, a seven-year veteran, had a clear vision of a blatant three-second violation committed by Powerade’s Omar Sneed on Tuesday but didn’t make the call.

“We suspended the ref (Balao) immediately after the game last (Tuesday) night,” Salud said. “That was a blatant error, him missing that call on the Powerade import.”

Salud didn’t say what sanctions await Allado, who will appear before the Office of the Commissioner at 11 a.m. today after posting derogatory statements on Twitter Tuesday night after that Energy defeat.

Allado (@alotofDON) tweeted: “I’m the guy that says what others can’t. #PBA games are fixed. They control who is in & who is out. It’s a disgrace to be in this league.

“I can accept losing to teams. But I can’t accept losing bcoz of referees.”

“I am bitter about losing. Not to Powerade, but to #PBA. In my opinion, this league has little credibility left.”

Allado has since deleted the tweets.

“I was really surprised and saddened by the statements of Don,” Salud said last night. “(Those statements) are detrimental to the best interests of the league, and they are inexcusable and unacceptable.”

Salud said possible sanctions on Allado could range from “a fine, a suspension and a lifetime ban which the commissioner, in his discretion, can impose.”

“I just want to stress to all our fans, (that) this accusation that the league is rigged, fixed and that we control who goes into the semis, finals and becomes the eventual champion, is baseless,” said Salud.

“Statements like those can only come from someone who clearly lost his mind and is clearly a sore loser.”

Allado may have to back up his claim to escape what could be a career-ending sanction.

“I do understand the agony of losing, but he crossed the line,” Salud said.

Joey Concepcion, who owned the disbanded RFM team, and ex-Talk ’N Text coach Bill Bayno were fined P100,000 and P200,000, respectively, for blasting referees before. Salud said Allado’s case was worse.

“That’s nothing compared to the gravity of Allado’s statement last night. He is indicting the entire league, its credibility and integrity.”

Balao, meanwhile, will be without pay for the next four months, or until the 38th season opens in the second week of October.

Balao will lose at least P40,000-P50,000 a month while the Governors’ Cup is ongoing, and his base pay of more than P20,000 for two months before the next season opens.