SOUTH Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei have paid a dear price for their failure to participate in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers last year.
The FIBA announced late Tuesday night that it had meted sanctions on the three national teams through its disciplinary panel.
Each team was fined 160,000 Swiss francs (roughly P8.6 million), with half going to each national squad that will participate in the third window of the qualifiers.
Two points have also been deducted from each team’s overall standings, with one point going to the other squads participating in the February window.
While Korea is still unscathed with a 2-0 record in Group A, its points will drop from four to two, with one point to be given to the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia if all show up in the last window set from Feb. 18 to 22 likely to be held in a bubble in Clark.
Chinese Taipei is holding a 1-1 card (three points), while China has yet to play a single game (0 points). Japan and Malaysia will gain points from the deductions in Group B.
Action did not push through in Group B in the second window last November due to the absence of Chinese Taipei and China.
Gilas Pilipinas clashes with the Koreans on Feb. 18, a reset of their initial match that was called off in the second window, in Group A action, according to a schedule released by the FIBA.
The Filipino cagers tangle with Indonesia on Feb. 20 and then South Korea on Feb. 22 anew.
The FIBA has yet to release the time and venue for the said matches.
South Korea pulled off from the second window due to the health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and will square off with Indonesia on Feb. 19, and Thailand a day after.
The Indonesians and the Thais battle for the last time on Feb. 22.
Gilas fielded an all-amateur squad in the second window in Manama, Bahrain.
Without a naturalized player, Gilas, with coach Jong Uichico calling the shots, still managed to complete a two-game sweep of Thailand to remain unbeaten.
