Umaasa si Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at Philippine Asian Games Chef de Mission Richie Garcia na mailalabas ng pambansang atleta ang lahat ng talento at abilidad na katulad ng ipinapakita ng Gilas Pilipinas sa FIBA World Cup sa Spain sa kanilang pagsabak sa 17th Asian Games.
“Watching the Philippine basketball team playing in Spain, and if our athletes play with their heart, I think we will be winning gold medals. Nakita ng buong mundo na kahit outsize at outweight tayo, nakita na buo ang puso,” sinabi ni Garcia sa pagdalo sa lingguhang Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum sa Shakey’s Malate. Hindi namang ibinigay na prediksiyon si Garcia hinggil sa makukubrang medalya ng mga atleta bagamat umaasa ito na makapagtatala ng sorpresang panalo ang kabuuang 150 atleta na nakuwalipika sa pambansang delegasyon.
“It’s hard to predict, but our athletes are capable of winning the gold,” giit ni Garcia, nakatakdang umalis sa Setyembre 10 patungong Incheon, Korea kasama ang ilang miyembro ng POC-PSC Asian Games Secretariat upang dumalo sa DRM Meeting na gaganapin sa Setyembre 11 at 12.
Hangad naman ni Garcia na magbago ang pananaw ng Olympic Council of Asia at nag-organisang Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (IAGOC) hinggil sa eligibility ng naturalized player na si Andre Blatche at maging sina Jared Dillinger at Gabe Norwood.
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“We had previously sent communications to IAGOC with regards to our naturalized players but no reply,” ayon kay Garcia. “We have talk to them noong umpisa at pumayag sila bago na lamang nila sinabi uli ang article 49 at 50.”
“It is either they say or no on September 11 and 12,” dagdag ni Garcia. “They say OCA is in-charge of general rules while it is the FIBA on the technical sides. We will know what will happen.”
