Suspensions, fines rain in PBA brawl aftermath

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association issued punishment on participants in the infamous brawl between players of the San Mig Coffee Mixers and the GlobalPort Batang Pier, firing suspensions and fines as the league vowed not to condone fighting.

Comm. Chito Salud re Marc Pingris, Kelly Nabong, Joe Devance, Marvin Hayes and the San Mig Coffee-GlobalPort (cont) http://t.co/xMup3b0xeK

— pbaconnect (@pbaconnect) September 6, 2013

In a tweet posted on its official @pbaconnect account on Friday, September 6, the PBA announced the following sanctions: 

1. Marvin Hayes is fined P20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, equivalent to a flagrant foul penalty 2, for elbowing and kneeing import Marqus Blakely on the floor after a foul had already been called. 

2. Kelly Nabong is suspended for 2 games and fined P 60,000 for attacking import Marqus Blakely and exchanging blows with Marc Pingris.

3. Marc Pingris is suspended for 2 games and fined P60,000 for fighting and engaging Kelly Nabong in an exchange of blows.

4. Joe Devance is suspended for 1 game and fined P30,000 for triggering the commotion that led to the fight between Kelly Nabong and Marc Pingris.

Commissioner Chito Salud stressed there is “no justification for players to get involved in fistfights.”

“Strong emphasis is being placed on this policy so much so that those who dare to trigger fights will be dealt with accordingly,” Salud said. “It should be clear to everyone that instigators, hotheads and troublemakes have no place in the PBA.”

Here’s a video of the fight by TV coveror Sports5. 

Everyone involved in the melee have expressed remorse in several reports, but Salud reminded to be “more circumspect in the future,” especially because the PBA believes that its players have the responsibility of being role models to the youth. – Rappler.com