by: Reuben Terrado
FAR Eastern University enforcer Arvie Bringas has been handed a one-game ban by his own school and warned of more serious sanctions by the UAAP following the spitting incident that marred the Tamaraws' game against Ateneo on Wednesday.
Bringas was suspended for one game by the FEU athletics department on top of the automatic one-game ban handed down by the league for the disqualifying foul slapped on him after he was caught on camera spitting on Ateneo's Justin Chua during the Eagles' 77-64 victory.
In a two-paragraph statement posted on its website, the school said: the FEU athletics department has imposed an additional one-game ban on Mr. Bringas for his actions."
The league also said Bringas' behavior will be closely watched from hereon and similar incidents in the future will be dealt with more severely.
“Huwag naman sana pero he may or may not be banned if the commissioner feels that it is necessary,” said UAAP secretary-treasurer Junel Baculi, adding that league will be monitoring the FEU center’s behavior in the next few games.
“As of now, one game is enough but we will see his behavior. If ganyan pa rin, baka kailangan na ng severe actions.”
At the same time, the league also handed a one-game suspension on Ateneo back-up center JP Erram for kicking Carl Bryan Cruz after the FEU player taunted him in the second quarter.
Erram’s retaliation was not seen by the referees but was spotted by Commissioner Ato Badolato after a review of the game tape. Cruz was issued a warning.
“Mayroon na [si Erram na] warning before so he is suspended for the next game,” Badolato said.
Ateneo has appealed the suspension before the technical committee.
Baculi said the league has also issued warnings to players who figured in several skirmishes in the bruising contest that saw three players getting ejected and some coaches figuring in a heated exchange of words after the buzzer.
“It’s a warning na next time, there will be more severe actions,” said Baculi.
Among those warned were Ateneo’s Ryan Buenafe and FEU’s Mark Belo, who were both ejected for their involvement in a scuffle in the first quarter.
Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter and FEU’s Roger Pogoy were also warned for separate incidents during the game.
Badolato explained that Buenafe and Belo were not suspended because they have only incurred their first unsportsmanlike foul of the season.
Badolato said that a player is automatically suspended if he incurs two unsportsmanlike fouls even on separate games and a technical foul that was meant to hurt.
“In the case of Belo and Buenafe, they were disqualified not because of a disqualifying foul but because they were called for an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical foul for trash-talking. That was not meant to hurt,” Badolato said.
Badolato said Slaughter was warned due to an elbow to Bringas prior to the spitting incident while Pogoy was caught on video elbowing Juami Tiongson when the Atenean was in front of the FEU bench late in the fourth quarter.