LaughingKookaburra wrote:It really does not help the situation when the Philippino Basketball President quotes that he is “Proud of the way the team and officials stood up to the bullying and didn’t allow them selves to be pushed around”.
FIBA should piss this disgraceful mob off for a long time after the incident and the aftermath. They clearly don’t regret anything and are weak as piss. If that doesn’t tell you it was pre-meditated then I don’t know what does.
I reckon Kickert should get a 4-5 game suspension which would likely end his international career anyway as he was always highly unlikely to make the World Cup team next year. As disappointing as it is in what he did I've been pretty impressed with both his play and dedication to the national team in recent years. Thon Maker should get a pass for trying to 'help' his teammates.
At least half that Filipino team should get 12 month bans, the officials and support staff that got stuck in should be banned for life. The national team should be banned from competing in next year's WC and for the lack on contrition shown taking selfies immediately afterwards proud of their work and the carry on from their officials in the aftermath I hope they get stripped of their WC hosting rights in 2023.
They're disgraced the game given the sport a serious black eye and need to be seen to be duly punished however I think it's more likely FIBA goes easy on them with regards to similar incidents that have happened in the past. Thank god for man mountain Luc Longley playing peacemaker there and the fact it appears no one was seriously hurt.
"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment" – Warren Bennis