FIBA-Asia: Lassiter and Lutz not allowed to play vs UAE

Smart Gilas-Pilipinas stalwarts Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz were not given the go-signal to suit up for the Nationals’ opening day match in the 26th FIBA Asian Championship For Men. Hagop Khajirian, deputy secretary-general of the FIBA-Asia Central Board, cited a technicality within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule that declared both Lassiter and Lutz not eligible to play in the Nationals’ game against United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The FIBA-Asia official from Lebanon said the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has yet to provide them documents proving that the two Fil-Am players had already acquired their Filipino citizenship before the age of 16. He added that any player who acquired his citizenship after the age of 16 is already considered a naturalized player. Not until tournament organizers receive the supporting documents coming from the SBP will the two Smart Gilas guards be allowed to compete in the tournament serving as qualifier to the 2012 London Olympics. - OMG, GMA News