Andray Blatche INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Not only is the eligibility of Andray Blatche for Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games in South Korea in question, but also Jared Dillinger and Gabe Norwood, a high-ranking Philippine Olympic Committee official said Wednesday.
The POC received a letter from the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (Iagoc) on Tuesday requesting for proof of residency of the three Philippine team standouts, said the source, who was the same person who told the Inquirer of Blatche’s case more than a week ago.
Norwood and Dillinger are expected to sail through scrutiny since they have been playing in the PBA since the last decade, but Blatche will have some trouble since he was naturalized only a little over two months ago.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, in an earlier interview with the Inquirer, is going with Blatche on the assumption that the former Brooklyn Net in the NBA is cleared to play in the Asian Games after being cleared by the Fiba for the World Cup.
Olympic events like the Summer Games, the Asian and even Southeast Asian Games have been governed by a different set of rules for the longest time.
The POC source, who again requested not to be identified, said that efforts to have Blatche cleared by POC official Steve Hontiveros in China during the Youth Olympics have proved futile.
“Walang nakuha sa (he didn’t get anything in) China from OCA officials,” SBP executive Moying Martelino told the Inquirer over the phone, referring to the concrete go-ahead from the body which Hontiveros pursued clearing Blatche to play.
South Korea is dead set on implementing Olympic Council of Asia (Oca) rules, which state that—for all sports—naturalized players should have resided in the country he will represent for at least three years before being allowed to play.
“We have our position (on Blatche) and we are still waiting for (the clearance in black-and-white),” Martelino added. “We just want a categorical statement from both.”
Marcus Douthit could be called in as a replacement but Blatche has to declare injury for that to happen. The source said Blatche will not declare he is injured because he doesnt want to turn off potential NBA suitors. Blatche is a free agent.