PBA sets fine for ‘flopping’

AUGUST DELA CRUZ

MANILA, Philippines — Habitual “flopping” won’t go unpunished anymore in the PBA, its Commissioner Chito Salud said Friday.

After a meeting with the competition committee, Salud disclosed that the PBA would adopt new rules towards exaggerated reactions to contacts, among others.

Salud said fines starting from P5,000 — which would go up with every similar offense — were in order for such flopping acts, upon review by his office after the game.

There will be no suspensions planned for offenders, though, “since it will deprive the fans of seeing their players in action, but the penalties will be hefty enough should they accumulate,” Salud said.

“Unless the flop affects the play, the game will not be stopped. But everything will be reviewed by the Commissioner’s Office afterwards,” he also said in the PBA’s official website.

Once the PBA board approves the new rules — which also includes changes on flagrant fouls, double lane violations, delay of games and reviews of shots beating the 24-second clock — Salud will recommend their implementation as soon as possible.

The season-ending 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup kicks off on August 14 — shortly after the Fiba Asia Championships.

Present in the committee meeting were PBA coaches Yeng Guiao (Rain or Shine), Alfrancis Chua (Ginebra), Franz Pumaren (Air21), PBA executives Rickie Santos and Willie Marcial and officials’ supervisor Ramil Cruz.