INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Dismayed by the failure of the Basketball Association of the Philippines to show up, the special commission formed by the International Basketball Federation upheld yesterday the status of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas as the country?s governing body for the sport.

?The special commission affirms SBP, Inc. as Fiba?s national member federation in the Philippines as previously decided by the Fiba Central Board during its March 2 and 3, 2007 meeting,? SBP executive director Noli Eala said yesterday quoting the commission decision.

?The decision took special notice of BAP?s absence in the conference. The special commission also gave a lot of weight to the RP judicial court?s decision affirming SBP?s recognition,? Eala added in a text message to the Inquirer.

Eala said that the Fiba also requested SBP to present a written progress report not later than Nov. 30 on the adequate and appropriate representation of stakeholders and full compliance of the Bangkok Agreement by all parties.

Before the decision, Eala noted that commission head Fiba secretary general emeritus Boris Stankovic was dismayed by the absence of top officials from the BAP, whose complaints against the SBP had prompted the creation of the special commission.

The BAP officials, according to Eala, were supposed to substantiate their charges on the fourth round of talks at the Fiba headquarters in Geneva conducted by the commission also made up of former Fiba president Carl Ching Meng Ky and Fiba legal counsel Ken Madsen.

?Instead of flying to Geneva, BAP belatedly sends a letter to Fiba, claiming they didn?t get their visas,? said Eala.

BAP president Prospero Pichay, treasurer Christian Tan and BAP legal counsel Boni Alentajan had earlier confirmed their attendance to the meetings.