FIBA has released the fines and suspensions that players, coaches, and officials will serve after the infamous scuffle between the Philippines and Australia

Photo by Tristan Tamayo

FIBA has released today the sanctions that will be handed to the Philippines and Australia following the investigation into the bench-clearing brawl that occurred during the Gilas Pilipinas and Australia Boomers qualifying game on July 2.

A total of 10 players from Gilas, along with coaches Chot Reyes and Jong Uichico, three players from Boomers, and all the referees who officiated the infamous game will be punished. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Basketball Australia, both countries’ national basketball federations, were also issued fines and sanctions.

Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Jayson Castro, Andray Blatche, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Japeth Aguilar, Matthew Wright, Carl Bryan Cruz, and Jio Jalalon were all slapped with game suspensions, which will take effect at the 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifying games after being involved in the scuffle that made headlines across the globe.

Abueva, who was believed to be the one who sparked the tension between the two teams, will serve a six-game suspension—the longest in the group. Pogoy, Jalalon, and Cruz, all of whom landed punches to Australia’s Daniel Kickert and Chris Goulding will sit out for five games. Romeo, Castro, Blatche, and Rosario will sit out three games each, while Aguilar and Wright will miss a game apiece.

Gilas head coach Reyes, who was seen on footage telling his players to “hit somebody” and “put somebody in his ass” was served a one-game suspension and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (around P536,000), while assistant coach Jong Uichico, who was also seen punching a piled-up Goulding, will serve a three-game suspension.

Moreover, the SBP was also fined with 250,000 Swiss francs (around P13.37 million) for the “unsportsmanlike delegation of its members and of its public as well as for the insufficient organization of the game,” FIBA said in a statement.

FIBA has also ordered the Philippines to play its next home game against Qatar in September behind closed doors while a ban for two more home games has been placed under probationary period for three years.

On the other hand, Kickert, whose elbow to Pogoy started the brawl, was slapped with a five-game suspension, while Milwaukee Bucks’ Thon Maker will serve a three-game suspension and Goulding, who was mobbed by the Gilas players on the baseline, will sit out a game.

Basketball Australia was also fined with 100,000 Swiss francs for the “unsportsmanlike behavior of its players and for abusing and/or tampering of equipment, after having removed floor stickers from the court on the eve of the game,” FIBA said.