SBP welcomes new FIBA rule which raises non-restricted age to 18

December 14 ------ THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas welcomed the recent decision of FIBA to adjust the eligibility age for players who will represent their respective countries in international tournaments.

In an approved amendments by the Central Board to the regulations for the national status of players, the world governing body for basketball now recognizes players as non-restricted for those who obtained passport before the age of 18 from 16. The resolution was made after the body convened last Dec. 5 in Mies, Switzerland to discuss the completion of the opening window of the FIBA 2027 World Cup qualifiers simultaneously held around the world. “That’s good news,” said SBP President Ricky Vargas in a short message, but without further elaborating. “The Central Board approved amendments to the regulations for the National Status of players, notably clarifying the process under which players both in basketball and 3x3 have their national status determined or changed, introducing more objective criteria,” said FIBA in its official website. “Going forward, players who obtained a passport before the age of 18 rather than 16, will not be considered as restricted.”

Former SBP president Al S. Panlilio, who represents the SBP in the Central Board, said ‘restricted is the new (FIBA) term for naturalized.’ The old rule of allowing foreign-born players to obtain a passport of the country they intend to represent before turning 16 to be considered as a local has been a bane for the country for sometime now, with NBA star Jordan Clarkson among its casualties. Under the ruling, Clarkson is allowed to play only as a naturalized player since he failed to obtain a Filipino passport before he turned 16.

The same case applied for other Fil-foreign players such as Christian Stanhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and Mo Tautuaa, who were all considered and played as naturalized players for Gilas Pilipinas. During the same meeting, the Central Board also approved prohibiting players from transferring and playing for another national team once he already played in a FIBA meet representing another country. “Players who have participated with a national team in senior main FIBA tournaments will no longer be able to play for another national team,” said the world governing body for basketball.

Eric Gordon was among those who played for two different national teams in the past, initially suiting up for Team USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, and later switching sides to play for Bahamas in the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Gordon’s mother is a native of the Bahamas.

Source: spin.ph