Cebu FA caught in the middle
THE LATEST footbrawl has put the Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) between the fire and a burner -- and whichever direction it takes, it get burns.
On the one hand, as the governing body for the sport in Cebu it must punish those involved in the ugly fracas, but on the other hand, it's role in the Thirsty Cup was only to provide the referees - nothing else.
"In the next tournaments we sanction, we will set a minimum standard on the pitch size, the security. We will be taking a more active role in the technical aspect," CebuFa president Jonathan Maximo said.
Hiroshi FC, and Crazy Horse FC, the top two teams in Cebu football and owned by Japanese football philanthropists, figured in a brawl in the semifinal round of the Thirsty Cup, with Crazy Horse leading 2-0. In the quarterfinal round, Hiroshi B also lost to another Crazy Horse team. Hiroshi was riding on a seven-title streak and was set to represent Cebu in the Philippine Football Federation regional eliminations later this month.
Accusations have been hurled back and forth from both teams, to the organizers and to the Cebu FA but the fans, including the kids, who saw the match, and the fight, saw Cebu football at its worse.
What they saw was Harold Buot, slapping Albert Nangkil at the back of the head, just as Nangkil turned away from Buot. Nangkil stayed down, and didn't try to retaliate. What they didn't see was, just as referee Kurt Acre's attention was on Buot, intent on giving him a red card, Gary Panagsagan hit Ariel Cahilig.
Then the free-for-all started.
Now, as the CebuFa board meet again today at the Cebu Country Club to settle punishment and sanctions against the players, they are in a position no one will envy. Last year, they banned a coach for a year for forfeiting two games.
"Heads will roll," Maximo has told reporters.
Anything less than one-year ban would make being involved in a free-for-all a lesser offense than defaulting one's match, anything over a year would make the CebuFa seems too harsh.
On the one hand, as the governing body for the sport in Cebu it must punish those involved in the ugly fracas, but on the other hand, it's role in the Thirsty Cup was only to provide the referees - nothing else.
"In the next tournaments we sanction, we will set a minimum standard on the pitch size, the security. We will be taking a more active role in the technical aspect," CebuFa president Jonathan Maximo said.
Hiroshi FC, and Crazy Horse FC, the top two teams in Cebu football and owned by Japanese football philanthropists, figured in a brawl in the semifinal round of the Thirsty Cup, with Crazy Horse leading 2-0. In the quarterfinal round, Hiroshi B also lost to another Crazy Horse team. Hiroshi was riding on a seven-title streak and was set to represent Cebu in the Philippine Football Federation regional eliminations later this month.
Accusations have been hurled back and forth from both teams, to the organizers and to the Cebu FA but the fans, including the kids, who saw the match, and the fight, saw Cebu football at its worse.
What they saw was Harold Buot, slapping Albert Nangkil at the back of the head, just as Nangkil turned away from Buot. Nangkil stayed down, and didn't try to retaliate. What they didn't see was, just as referee Kurt Acre's attention was on Buot, intent on giving him a red card, Gary Panagsagan hit Ariel Cahilig.
Then the free-for-all started.
Now, as the CebuFa board meet again today at the Cebu Country Club to settle punishment and sanctions against the players, they are in a position no one will envy. Last year, they banned a coach for a year for forfeiting two games.
"Heads will roll," Maximo has told reporters.
Anything less than one-year ban would make being involved in a free-for-all a lesser offense than defaulting one's match, anything over a year would make the CebuFa seems too harsh.
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