FIBA, to be fair, or not be unfair?…

FILIPINO basketball fans worldwide have shown their passion for the sport and their full support to the national team, Gilas-Pilipinas, as they bonded together to become as one voice in urging the governing Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) in the light of its’ alleged biases concerning the player’s eligibility rule.

The said allegation by Filipino fans, noticing FIBA’s leniency allowing other member countries to have more than one naturalised players included in their respective team rosters’, while being so strict and harsh to others, and Gilas Pilipinas is one of the recipient of FIBA’s row deal.

Basketball loving Filipinos (who are truly passionate and knows fair-play) can’t help but noticed FIBA’s laxities in enforcing rule, pointing out in case of Chinese-Taipei, who came away with a second naturalised player in Nigerian Mohammad Bachir Gadiaga along with American Brandon Gilbeck and Chinese Ting-Chien Lin.

According to reports, circulating in the sports social media, the six-foot seven Gadiaga, who barely have less than five years residing in Taipei, where he had studied and completed a university course and yet Taiwan basketball federation and with alleged FIBA’s blessing. Granted the later a naturalisation status and played as local. Gadiaga was not included in Taipei’s lineup during first meeting with Gilas.

Gilas-Pilipinas won the first game, 105-55, and Taipei took the rematch via 91-84, for its first win against the nationals since the 2013 FIBA Asia Cup held in Mall of Asia.

Under the FIBA rule, there are two ways to consider a foreign player to be granted naturalisation status, one by blood affiliation, whether one of the parents of the said player is a natural born citizen of a particular country or the applicant had been residing or living in the said country for 10 years or more.

And if that is case, Justine Brownlee should have been considered as local. He had been Ginebra San Miguel’s resident import since 2013 and have been granted naturalisation status three years ago and he could have played sided-by-side with Utah Jazz and 2022 NBA Sixth man Jordan Clarkson together with Gilas-Pilipinas during the 2023 FIBA World Cup co-hosted by Manila.

Another case, FIBA’s said “eligibility rule”, take case of Qatar, which is the 2027 World Cup host, were reportedly given the permission in granting naturalisation status to four African-American players, which paraded it during the second edition of the Doha International Invitation last February.

Following the Filipino fans’ clamour, the Samahan Basketbol ng Pilipinas hierarchy is taking this matter to FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and eventually to its’ head Sheik Saud Ali Al Thani. And should SBP head Al Panlilio convince FIBA to grant Gilas the same privilege that of Taiwan and Qatar. These will greatly benefit the nationals.

Ange Koume will be become eligible next years, Koume have a resident and have studied and completed a university course while playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles nine years ago. Gilas coach Tim Cone might change his mind should this happed, whether to add more players in the existing 12-man lineup.

After analysing these, now draws a question into my mind, is FIBA would hid to SBP’s long standing request? Or will FIBA play it fair? or not?…. (What’s yours Don Simon?)