FILE PHOTO – Members of Blackwater team durign the 2020 PBA Media Day. TRISTAN TAMAYO
MANILA, Philippines—The PBA Commissioner’s Office slapped Blackwater with a P100,000 fine after the team returned to practice without getting the go-signal from the league amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commissioner Willie Marcial also said that the league will investigate the statements team owner Dioceldo Sy said in a previous Inquirer report.
Sy, who announced he is putting the Blackwater franchise for sale for at least P150 million, said that he “was offended, bullied, and pushed to the wall” after he was told that his team was facing sanctions for holding practice where, the owner said, that two Elite players were merely doing shootarounds.
“We fined Blackwater P100,000 and they have to undergo swab testing, the whole team, and if the tests come out positive then they have to follow the DOH [Department of Health] protocol and if negative and there were no symptoms then they have to go into quarantine for seven days,” said Marcial in Filipino Thursday.
“I hope that the league won’t be jeopardized because that’s what we’re afraid of.”
The PBA eyes July 22 as the restart for team practices since the league has yet to receive the Joint Administrative Order from the Philippine Sports Commission, DOH, and the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Professional football and basketball teams are already allowed to hold practice sessions, albeit in a limited capacity, but the PBA wants to get hold of all the necessary paperwork before proceeding.
Marcial added that Sy’s statements were “serious” and that merits an investigation from the Commissioner’s Office.
“About the selling of the team, what he said were serious allegations so we’ll investigate that and submit it to the Board,” said Marcial.