The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League has slapped Marikina head coach Elvis Tolentino with a P75,000 fine and a game suspension following the incident involving him and his player Felipe Chavez.
The league described Tolentino’s action against Chavez during their game against Pasig City on June 27 as “conduct unbecoming of a head coach.”
“The league declared that Tolentino’s actions of inflicting physical harm on a player are conduct unbecoming of a professional basketball coach,” the league said in a statement.
Tolentino was caught on camera hitting Chavez on the player’s chest after a turnover during the game. The clip of the incident eventually went viral on social media.
“We would like to reiterate our commitment to fostering a positive and safe environment that is free from violence and conducive to fair play, respect, and sportsmanship for all players, coaches, and staff members during every game and every event,” said MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
The Games and Amusement Board also stepped into the case last week, launching a probe into the incident.
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