Fixed-term UAAP commish, refs’ pool under study

MANILA, Philippines — A commissioner with a fixed term may be among the key changes in the next UAAP basketball tournament following a season marked with a couple of game protests, a match replay and other controversies.

Officials said the league aims to improve the quality of officiating by appointing a commissioner with a three-year term and by maintaining its own pool of referees.

“Anything that will improve the league, we’re open to it,” UAAP president Nilo Ocampo of host National University said yesterday. “It’s important for us to improve the officiating and also to lessen the complaints and protests. We want the league to be more efficient.”

League rules give the host school the discretion to appoint the commissioner and to tap the services of any referee association.

UAAP board representative Ricky Palou of Ateneo, who is also a member of the technical panel, said the league will act on the proposal.

“We’re now asking all the schools to give us names [of possible candidates] so we can come together and decide,” said Palou. “Perhaps we can extend [the term] if we’re happy or we can replace him if we’re not.”

He said assembling a referees’ pool is also among the proposals.

“All coaches, even winning coaches, complain about [the officiating], so we’d like to do something about it,” Palou said.

Ato Badolato, who served as commissioner in the last tournament, said by having a permanent commissioner, “the coaches and players will get used to the same kind of officiating.”