The MPBL has handed down “Red Cards” to the players and coaches of the Bacolod Masskara after their viral fourth quarter on Tuesday in a loss to the Bulacan Kuyas.
“The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) reiterates its unyielding commitment to preserving the integrity, fairness, and credibility of the sport,” the league said in a statement released on Thursday evening. “In light of recent allegations concerning potential game manipulation, the League office has officially issued Red Cards to the involved players and coaches of Bacolod Masskara.”
The issuance of Red Cards, as per league rules, means a permanent ban on the recipients. The current system, according to the same statement, was personally initiated by league Founder and Chairman Manny Pacquiao “as a way to combat game manipulation” and is “fully recognized and supported by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).”
As such, the Bacolod Masskara will cease participation in all league functions effective immediately.
What Happened?
The incident in question occurred in the Bacolod Masskara’s 100-64 loss to the Bulacan Kuyas. In the final 7:48 of that game, the Masskara did not make a single field goal and appeared to be going through the motions, with no intention to compete or score at all. Aside from not making a single field goal, the team also committed six turnovers and missed four free throws.
That humiliating stretch comes after multiple shellackings that saw the Bacolod Masskara on the losing end of an 84-point blowout to Abra, a 52-point defeat to Quezon, and a 51-point defeat to Bataan. These blowouts are probably a reason why some Masskara players, according to the statement, were given Yellow Cards already and the franchise flagged for its actions.
“The League stresses that these measures are preventive and administrative as the league will continue its investigation together with relevant government agencies,” the statement further read. “This is not the first time that the team concerned has been warned of its actions as previous incidents were also flagged by the Office of the Commissioner. In fact, some members of the team have been issued Yellow Cards earlier in the season.”
Bacolod Mayor Calls for Probe
Aside from the MPBL ban, the Bacolod franchise is also likely to face a fact-finding probe as city mayor Greg Gasataya has called for a technical audit of the game tape and sworn explanations from the Bacolod Masskara team.
“Following the lopsided 100-64 loss of the Bacolod Masskara against the Bulacan Kuyas which has sparked widespread online speculation and major concern regarding potential game-fixing, we have formally demanded an uncompromising investigation from the MPBL and the Games and Amusements Board into the alleged match manipulation during the July 28 match at the Pasay Astrodome,” Gasataya wrote on Facebook. “The passive on-court demeanor, unusual player rotations, and highly irregular lapses flagged by both the public and game commentators during the said game evidently point to a potential violation of sports integrity and professional standards.”
“We expect nothing less than a transparent and absolute pursuit of truth and fairness to protect the league and our local sports programs, and uphold the dignity and integrity of sports,” the mayor added.
MPBL Vows to Eradicate Game Manipulation
The MPBL, for its part, emphasized that it “stands firm against any attempt to tarnish the sanctity of Philippine basketball” and will continue taking swift and decisive action “against any conduct that threatens the trust of our fans, team owners, and the public.”
Furthermore, the league vowed to “remain relentless and uncompromising in eradicating game manipulation from Philippine basketball” as “the integrity of the game will always come first.”
The Bacolod Masskara compromised that integrity, and the MPBL did something about it.
