Arboleda can appeal season ban - Barrios

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios doesn’t discount the possibility of Burger King’s Wynne Arboleda appealing the one-season ban slapped on him by the league for attacking a male fan last week. "It's his right and I cannot deny him that. We just have to wait if he pursues it and how he will present his appeal. I don't want to prejudge him," said the commissioner.

However, Barrios said that if Arboleda files an appeal to shorten the length of the ban, the player will have to do it personally. "It will be for himself. It will not be an appeal of the ballclub but an appeal of the player himself," said the PBA commissioner in Tuesday’s PSA Forum. Barrios said Burger King team manager and current PBA chairman Lito Alvarez has accepted the league’s decision freezing Arboleda for the next eight months without pay. As part of the suspension, Arboleda is banned from watching PBA games inside the venue. It was such a heavy fine which Barrios said would serve as a very strong example to the players and fans as well. Arboleda attacked Alain Katigbac during the second quarter of Burger King's 115-105 victory over the Smart Gilas Philippine Team at the Araneta Coliseum. Arboleda was slapped two flagrant fouls during the game, the second one leading to the incident after the fan apparently threw verbal attacks on the wide-bodied player. The fan was never able to get up his seat or fight back as Arboleda charged at him, kicked him and threw four blows. Venue security personnel stepped in to break them apart. "He knew of the consequences except that the length of suspension is his mind and that on my mind were probably miles apart. I heard he will make an appeal and he has the right," said Barrios. "Wynne made the choice and so he answers the consequence," added the PBA chief who added the league and its game venues are looking for ways how to prevent a repetition of the incident. Barrios said the players should share the responsibility with the fans. "It's about respecting each other and conducting ourselves in the highest integrity. Out of this ugly incident I'd like something positive to come out like an awareness program on responsible game watching." Barrios said keeping fans out of the courtside seats is not the only solution because "no matter where they sit, if they are unruly then there will be ugly incidents." He hoped that the incident, similar to the ones previously involving Marlou Aquino and Danny Ildefonso, will not happen again. Otherwise, the player may be "banned for life." "If in tomorrow's game a player punches a fan, then he faces a lifetime ban because it will be tantamount to being insensitive to what the league wants now of fan interest being primordial – no matter what the provocation is," said Barrios. – GMANews.TV