Salud explains sanctions vs players involved in fracas

 MANILA – Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Chito Salud said the sanctions handed down against the players involved in the free-for-all between San Mig Coffee and GlobalPort depended on the gravity of their actions.
GlobalPort’s Kelly Nabong and San Mig Coffee’s Marc Pingris, who were at the center of the melee, were fined P60, 000 each and were suspended for two games.
Mixers power forward Joe Devance was slapped with a one-game ban aside from a P30,000 fine.
The Batang Pier’s Marvin Hayes, who was caught pushing the head of San Mig import Marqus Blakely to the floor, was fined P20, 000 for his unsportsmanlike conduct.
“Effective immediately yang 2-game suspension kay Marc at kay Kelly, tapos ‘yung kay Joe Devence one-game suspension, next game also,” said Salud in an interview with dzMM’s Pasada Sais Trenta.
The PBA commissioner said Pingris and Nabong received the harshest of penalties because they were caught swinging punches at each other, unlike Devance who was slapped with a lighter sanction despite triggering the melee.
The fight broke out when Devance rushed to aid Blakely, who was the recipient of a flagrant foul by Hayes. Davance shoved Hayes to the floor and this prompted the bench-clearing incident.
“Nakita natin na biglang pumasok sa eksena si Joe Devance na wala namang kinalaman sa foul situation at that time. After that, Nabong attacked and then the next thing we knew, sila na ni Marc Pingris ang naghaharap,’ said Salud.
“Ang mabigat ay kay Nabong at kay Pingris, [silang] dalawa ang nagpalitan ng suntok sa court.”
Salud said Devance received a lighter penalty because he wasn’t actually involved in the fist fight that ensued.
“Usually mabigat yun kung itinuloy mo yung away, obviously si Joe Devance ang nagtrigger ng away, yung pagtulak nya, pero makikita mo sa video na hindi siya nakipag-away at hindi rin sya nagbigay ng kahit isang suntok.”
It was the first time a brawl took place under Salud’s term as PBA commissioner.
Salud maintained that violence has no place in a sport like basketball.
“Ang pakikipag-away sa basketball o kahit anumang sport or palakasan ay walang lugar yan, hindi tinatanggap yan, unacceptable yan,” he said.
“Kahit ikaw ay naguumpisa lang, nangungurot ka lang pero hindi ka tumutuloy sa away, meron ka ring karampatang sanction na matatamo. Sana maintidihan ng mga fans natin yan, ginagawa natin ang lahat para hindi na maulit.” ABS-CBN News.