MANILA: The Philippines said Sunday it would send a men’s basketball team to the Asian Games in Indonesia, just days after abruptly pulling out in the wake of an on-court brawl with Australia at a World Cup qualifier.
The Gilas announced their withdrawal from the Asiad basketball tournament on July 27 after basketball’s governing body FIBA suspended 10 of their players and two coaches over the July 2 Manila melee, which saw players and fans exchanging punches and flying kicks.
However a special aide to President Rodrigo Duterte announced Sunday that the national federation and the country’s professional basketball league had since agreed to field a team, a decision confirmed to AFP by the Gilas team manager.
“We are not obligated to win. We are obligated to keep trying and do the best we can do everyday,” the aide, Christopher Go, said in a statement announcing the team’s participation.
“This is Filipino Pride. And nothing unites Filipinos of every social class more than what happens on the basketball court,” Go added.
Gilas team manager Butch Antonio confirmed the announcement to AFP.
The federation had earlier said it was withdrawing from the Asian Games in order to “regroup” after the FIBA suspensions, a decision which shocked many in a country where basketball is the most popular sport.
Indonesia will host athletes from 45 Asian countries from August 18 to September 2 in the world’s biggest multi-sport event behind the Olympics.
The July 2 brawl left the Australian team fearing for their safety and prompted them to seek embassy help to fast-track their departure from the Philippines.
As well as player suspensions, Switzerland-based FIBA hit the Philippines with a fine of 250,000 Swiss Francs ($250,000) and imposed another 10,000 Francs fine on head coach Vincent Reyes, who was accused of urging his players to fight.
Three Australian players were suspended and their federation was also fined.
The Philippine basketball federation plans to appeal the sanctions.
Sanctions-hit Philippines to send Asian Games team after all
Sanctions-hit Philippines to send Asian Games team after all
- Switzerland-based FIBA suspended 10 Filipino players who were involved in the July 2, 2018 "basketbrawl" north of Manila and imposed fine of $250,000
- Three Australian players were suspended and their federation was also fined
Liverpool’s Wirtz will score many more after Wolves winner, says Slot
- Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz in June for a reported fee of £100 million, with a further £16 million in potential bonuses
- The 22-year-old had failed to find the net in more than 20 appearances for Liverpool before scoring the winner in Saturday’s match
Florian Wirtz is beginning to find his feet at Liverpool and will keep getting better, manager Arne Slot said after the German midfielder scored his first goal for the Premier League champions in their 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Liverpool signed Wirtz in June for a reported fee of 100 million pounds ($135 million), with a further 16 million pounds in potential bonuses.
The 22-year-old had failed to find the net in more than 20 appearances for Liverpool before scoring the winner in Saturday’s match, and Slot said his performances had been undervalued due to football’s obsession with statistics.
“I’m quite sure it was a relief for him. This I could see after his reaction after he scored the goal – and the same I saw with his teammates. I think they were really happy for him,” Slot told reporters.
“In football – rightly so, maybe – we mainly get judged on results, and individuals mainly get judged on goals and assists. Sometimes we tend to forget what else there is to do during a game.”
The Dutch manager called on Wirtz to keep going after ending his drought.
“He’s had multiple good games for us but I also feel he gets better and better every single game he is playing for us. He gets fitter and fitter and was getting closer and closer to his first goal,” he added.
“Then it was not a surprise to me that he scored one today, but he would probably be the first one to understand that one goal is not enough.
“He will score many more goals for us than only this one, but I also liked his performance during large parts of the game today. I think he was special in a lot of moments.”
Liverpool, fourth in the standings, next host 16th-placed Leeds United in a league match on January 1.
