CAGAYAN UTILITY MAN SLAPPED 10-GAME D-LEAGUE BAN
A few PBA D-League playdates ago, Cagayan Valley utility man Bernard Santos caused a stir when he was seen waving a banana to mock NLEX player Ola Adeogun during their game. Amid charges of racism, PBA commissioner Chito Salud called on both sides to shed light on the matter.
Here is the Commissioner’s statement:
After hearing the sides of Cagayan Valley utility man Bernard Santos, and NLEX player Ola Adeogun, this Office hereby finds that Mr. Santos had committed acts against Mr. Adeogun that are considered racially insulting. Let me state that racism has no place in the PBA and should be unacceptable in sports in general.
Whether out of malice or ignorance, the act of waving a banana while carrying out motions akin to an animal is decidedly racially derogatory and pejorative. Such act and other acts that are racially colored will be dealt with as sternly as possible by this league.
On behalf of the PBA, this Office extends its sincere apology to Mr. Ola Adeogun for the unfortunate incident to which he was exposed. Let me assure him and his countrymen that the Philippines is blind to color, race and creed.
Mr. Santos is hereby given a 10-game ban from the PBA D-League.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
