Pagulayan Absent from Guinness 9-Ball Team, Claims BSCP Prejudice
"The Lion" Alex Pagulayan will not be competing in the final stop of the Guinness 9-Ball tour in Shanghai from Aug. 3-5. Whether this is because of an internal bias in the Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) or punishment for Pagulayan's actions during a recent match is up for contention.
The BSCP announced that Jeffrey de Luna will join Ronnie Alcano, Lee Van Corteza and Roberto Gomez to represent the Philippines. The Shanghai stop will be the fifth and final event before the grand finale in Bali, Indonesia, on Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Pagulayan, currently ranked 16th with 60 points, would have had a shot at cracking the top ten with a solid finish in Shanghai; De Luna is now in 26th place, unable to make the final regardless of his performance.
While traveling to the 2007 Cebu Open, Pagulayan accused the BSCP of having a personal bias against certain players. He claims that his removal from the Guinness event is retribution for his refusal to take part in a local TV show, unless he received compensation.
"If they want to use me and make money off me, I need to make money, too," Pagulayan said.
The BCSP responded with a press release stating Pagulayan's misbehavior in the July tour stop in Singapore justified replacing him for the Shanghai event. According to the BCSP, Pagulayan's actions were “unworthy and unacceptable for a representative of a country that is regarded today as ‘the epicenter of pool.' His antics amounted to sharking."
http://www.billiardsdigest.com/news/display_article?id=865***What do you think of BCSP's decision in removing Pagulayan from the Philippine Billiards team?
-in my opinion the decision was too harsh, just a reprimand will do.
