Inconsistency in Referees' Calls damaging to UAAP

My writer-friend, Pete Adapon, asked me a favor to publish his observation regarding the basketball game between the Ateneo de Manila University's Blue Eagles and University of the East's Red Warriors last October 4. Perhaps, due to his hard-hitting comment about the game and the UAAP referees in particular, sports publishers might have refused to publish this write-up lest they too might run into trouble.

Nonetheless, I decided to publish his piece for the sake of upholding the writer's freedom of speech and expression.

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The UE- Ateneo game on Channel 23 last Sunday was disgusting. UE played tough and aggressively. Ateneo could have done the same. But the Ateneo players were constraint by frequent foul calls. The referees were inconsistent with the way they enforce rules, too harsh on Ateneo, too lenient on UE. Under the circumstances, it would be extremely difficult for the Eagles to play regular basketball, much less to win it. 

A case in point was when Pari Llagas shoved Rabeh Al-Hussaini hard that caused the latter to fall face down on the floor. This happened in full view of the referees. It was shown and replayed clearly on television. But the referees did not call Llagas for foul.

At another point, Paul Lee, ran into the right side of the goal where Kirk Long was standing. Whether by accident or by intent, he pushed himself into Kirk Long. This resulted to contact between them. Long was fouled when in fact, it was Lee who caused the incursion. This was replayed on TV too. Even sports commentator TJ Manotoc wondered why Long was fouled for it. “You be the judge”, he said. 

There were many bad calls on Ateneo all throughout the game even if it was obvious that the Ateneo players were too careful not to commit violations. They could hardly play with confidence. A review of Channel 23’s coverage of the game would confirm this. Towards the end of the UE-Ateneo game, the referees began to call fouls on UE but it was too late. Their inconsistent foul calls already caused Ateneo irreversible damage. It was as if the referees only called fouls on UE to pretend to be fair. It was as if too, that the referees were determined to make Ateneo lose at all cost. The scheme was obvious right from the start but even more so towards the end. 

What’s disturbing with this seemingly intentional inconsistency in referees’ foul calls were their frequency. The Ateneo-UE incident was not an isolated case. Throughout the season, the referees have been consistent in their inconsistency. In the FEU- UE game, FEU’s Glenn Capacio mentioned about a foul that was called on them and another foul ( by Elmer Espiritu ) that was not called on UE at a crucial time. Granting that the UE players played better and therefore, with higher chances of winning than FEU, the referees inconsistency contributed significantly to FEU’s defeat. 

In the UP-UST game, a UST player who reacted to UP’s Alvin Padilla’s provocation was thrown out of the court but Padilla was not reprimanded. In the UST-Ateneo game, the referees were practically encouraging the UST players to harass Ateneo players by continuously ignoring their violations. Ateneo’s coach, Norman Black, and his assistant coaches felt so helpless, they just sat down and waited until it ended. Ateneo, La Salle, FEU , NU, etc. went through similar experience with the same referees but they will not file protests. They do not want to be labeled as “sour losers”. That is the sad thing. Who would correct a wrongdoing? Who would bring it to the attention of those concerned? The cycle continues. 

This writer is not in anyway connected with Ateneo. He is a DLSU alumnus, a plain citizen. He has been watching UAAP games for years but this is the first time that he has seen such a glaring show of dishonesty and bias on the part of so-called professional referees. There is need to speak up, to call a spade a spade because this can happen again, to anyone, to any school or university. It will start a trend. It would discourage many aspiring honest players in college basketball especially in UAAP. 

The referees have no right to make or unmake champions. Their authority to administer games must not be abused. Otherwise, it would reduce an otherwise prestigious competition among university leagues into a sham where the only factor for winning is provoking the referees’ deep-seated prejudice or perhaps, providing them with financial incentives. 

Let the players, Blue Eagles or Red Warriors, play under normal and fair circumstances, free from the manipulation of the referees. It would be easier for a losing team to accept defeat out of an honest failure instead of being harassed by referees while their contenders are favored. On the other hand, it would be sweeter for a winning team to achieve victory out of their own honest endeavor, without the assistance of or connivance with referees and without resorting to foul means. 

It would be expedient for UE’s Lawrence Chongson too to disallow his players from resorting to foul means even if the so-called professional referees allow them. It would be a tough act to follow. But winning through intimidating or by inflicting physical injury on contenders is like cheating. It would not do well for an academic institution like UE or Ateneo to create the image of a cheater even if only in basketball. 

Let us not allow the forces of deceit, disguised as professional referees to maneuver the game to suit their own agenda. Let us not allow them to snatch victory from the real victors.