FORMER PBA player and college coach Congressman Franz Pumaren is calling for sweeping reforms within the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), urging league officials and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to strengthen oversight, improve player education, and act swiftly against suspicious games following the alleged game-fixing controversy involving the Bacolod MassKara.
In an exclusive interview with DWAR 1494 Abante Sports Now, the former PBA coach said the MPBL should reassess how it manages the league to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“Napakaganda ng konsepto ng MPBL, pero they have to revisit the way they run the tournament,” Pumaren said.
He believes league officials should immediately intervene once players displayed a lack of effort during games.
Drawing comparisons to professional boxing, Pumaren said referees and commissioners stop fights when boxers refuse to compete, adding that the MPBL should adopt the same sense of urgency.
“They should have nipped it in the bud right away,” he said.
To protect young athletes from illegal betting syndicates, Pumaren also proposed mandatory anti game-fixing seminars before the start of every season.
He said players, coaches and team personnel should be educated on how to respond when approached by individuals attempting to manipulate games.
Pumaren noted that similar orientations were conducted during his own playing career and believes the practice should become standard across the league.
He likewise encouraged the GAB to take a more proactive role in educating players while continuing to investigate alleged violations.
The MPBL has already issued lifetime bans against the Bacolod MassKara players and coaching staff involved and expelled the franchise from the remainder of the season as the GAB conducts its parallel investigation. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
