UAAP commissioner: Imperfect officiating can’t justify Perasol’s outburst

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—UAAP Season 82 basketball commissioner Jensen Ilagan on Friday denied University of the Philippines’ appeal on  Bo Perasol’s three-game ban, adding that the Maroons’ coach never apologized to the league for his actions.

In a statement, Ilagan reiterated that Perasol’s flare-up against referee Jaime Rivano in UP’s 63-89 loss to Ateneo last Sept. 29 was unjustifiable, despite the complaints on the officiating.

“Officiating may not be perfect, but it cannot justify outbursts like what he did. As head coach, he should know that he is a role model, and in the UAAP where character building is of paramount importance, Mr. Perasol should have been aware of that,” Ilagan said.

READ: UP coach Bo Perasol to appeal 3-game ban, says it’s ‘too much’

“Respect should be observed at all times. Mr. Perasol did not only disrespect the officials that time but the UAAP as well. The sad part here is that Mr. Perasol never apologized to the UAAP for what he did.”

Perasol automatically received a one-game suspension for ejection on the back of two technical fouls but additional two games were imposed for his “continued flagrant acts of aggression.”

It needed the combined efforts of nearly UP’s bench to restrain Perasol, who charged at Rivano in a fighting stance.

READ: Perasol urges UP community to rally behind Maroons ‘come what may’

UAAP cited Article 9.2.3 of the UAAP General Tournament Guidelines of 2019 to back their decision to keep Perasol out for the Maroons’ first three games of the second round.

“It is the responsibility of the Tournament Commissioner or its equivalent to imposing disciplinary measures on any student-athlete, team official, and/or any accompanying delegation member who violates the fundamental values of respect, fairness, civility, honesty, and responsibility; demonstrates highly unsportsmanlike conduct; and/or deliberately employs dangerous or dirty tactics or fouls in the course of any game or sporting events.”

READ: Perasol sorry after losing his cool in UP loss to Ateneo: ‘I need to be better’

In an earlier statement, UP’s legal team called Ilagan’s denial to be as “terribly misguided and based on a poor understanding of the tournament rules, a faulty appreciation of the facts and a blatant disregard for precedent.”