By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
During the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum via Zoom, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial shared that some PBA clubs will be observing the ‘no play, no pay’ policy once given the green light to go back to normal basketball operations.
With the league waiting for the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases’ decision on their request of allowing its players to start practicing, Marcial said that some players are still afraid to even go back to practice and play.
Chris Ross, one of the most vocal PBA stars, took his thoughts to Twitter regarding the league’s move of letting them practice amid the ongoing pandemic.
“Risking personal and family safety so that we can train now for games that won’t start until September? What’s the rush?” Ross tweeted.
In response, Marcial said that the players still have the right to refuse, but it will be up to their respective managements to decide what they will do to those players.
“Katulad ng sinabi ni SMC sports director and Ginebra governor Gov. Alfrancis Chua dun sa interview namin nung isang araw, sa kanila no play, no pay, ganun sila. Parang no work, no pay,” Marcial explained.
So with the SMC teams, players who refuse to participate in scheduled practices will not be paid until they get back on the playing court.
Meanwhile, Marcial added that no player, coach, or personnel from any PBA team had gone to his office and clamored about taking a pay cut and had issues with their salaries since they suspended operations last March.
“Wala pa. Sa pagkakaalam namin. Kaka-board meeting lang namin last Wednesday, wala. Walang nagka-cut, walang nagbabawas, walang hindi nagpapa-sweldo,” he said.
