FIBA banning Chris Goulding is a joke, since when is getting bashed a punishable offence?
FIBA has had a shocker. The penalties for the team of cowboys who lost control and shamed their sport are akin to being slapped with a wet lettuce leaf and banning Chris Goulding is shameful, writes Greg Davis.
Basketball
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THE rap sheet from the Boomers’ ‘basketbrawl’ in the Philippines is as long as Luc Longley’s arm.
But one sanction stands out from the very crowded list of charges and laughable penalties – the one game ban for Boomers guard Chris Goulding.
Since when was getting kicked, punched and bashed with courtside chairs a punishable offence?
And another couple of questions. How can the biggest penalty be just six games? Were life bans ever considered?
The best thing about FIBA’s sanctions is the finding that completely cleared the Boomers of the shameful and baseless accusations that they racially abused their opponents.
BANS AND FINES: BASKETBRAWLERS LEARN THEIR FATE
The Filipino team got hit with 10 players and two coaches copping bans totaling almost 40 games, fines, a probation period and having to stage their next game behind closed doors.
It should have been more. Much more. The bans should have been counted in months and years, not games.
The Philippines should have been kicked out of the rest of the 2019 World Cup qualifying process.
Their hosting rights for the 2023 World Cup should also be stripped.
The penalties for the team of cowboys who lost control and shamed their sport are akin to being slapped with a wet lettuce leaf.
FIBA has had a shocker there.
The Filipino assistant coach - Joseph Uichico - who was captured throwing chairs and attacking Goulding is very, very lucky he only got three games.
He should be rubbed out for much longer. Possibly even a life ban for his terrible behaviour given his position of authority.
Head coach Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes is also fortunate to get just one game.
Boomers big men Daniel Kickert deserved the five-game ban for his elbow on Filipino agitator Roger Pogoy (five games) which sparked the ugly all-in brawl while teammate Thon Maker need to get some sort of penalty (three games) for his high-flying mini karate kicks.
But one game for Goulding for “inciting unsportsmanlike behaviour”?
What a load of rubbish.
Let’s re-trace Goulding’s involvement.
He was knocked to the ground by Pogoy while the Philippines were in possession of the ball when he was playing hard but perfectly legal defence.
He stood up to help Kickert but was quickly floored by a cheap shot.
He was then set upon by a large group Filipino players and coaching staff at the end of the court where he lay on the ground, more or less defenceless.
He was kicked, punched and hit with a chair.
He could have been killed.
But luckily Australian basketball great and Boomers assistant coach Longley came to his rescue to clear out the rabid pack.
How did Goulding incite anything?
He was too busy lying on the ground getting kicked, punched and hit with a chair.
Ridiculous.
Goulding’s Boomers’ teammate Nathan Sobey was coward punched and hit with a chair and rightfully escaped any sanctions.
Maybe he should count himself lucky given what happened to Goulding who received the same ban as the Filipino head coach who told his players to put the Australian players on the floor.
No wonder FIBA wanted to keep the investigation behind closed doors. They would have been laughed out of town.
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