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| Global Makati's woes continue. Mike Romero (file photo) |
MANILA—The Games and Amusements Board delivered the executioner's ax on Global Makati.
The governing body for professional sports issued a blacklist order to the embattled PFL club as no news has been heard of the team regarding the alleged unpaid salaries to its players.
"Global Makati Football Club is hereby ordered blacklisted and barred from applying for or renewing its license, transacting with GAB, or otherwise acting as professional licensee of this board until further orders of the board upon filing of the required answer under oath," GAB said in the blacklist order dated Sept. 7, a copy of which was obtained by Dugout Philippines on Wednesday.
Asked for a reaction, GAB chairman Baham Mitra said, "We are unhappy about what happened and we are acting on the complaint of the players whose livelihood and careers have been affected. I hope this serves as a deterrent and lesson to others who may do the same. GAB's mandate is to look after the welfare of our professional athletes and we intend to do just that."
The salary issues have been rampant among the former top division champ since 2018 especially when former players Anton Del Rosario and Milan Nikolic became vocal about it.
The drama reaching boiling point when graphics designer Saya Jaruda and supposed new signing John Cofie revealed last August that they have been unpaid as well.
Furthermore, GAB revealed in a moto propio order issued to Team Manager Mark Jarvis that some players were owed as much as PHP1.6 million worth of unpaid salaries, prompting GAB and PFL to act on the issue.
The PFL initially suspended Global Makati's club license for 90 days, but GAB's own verdict may prompt the league to hand stiffer penalties to the club.
"Global FC management should understand that it is our duty to protect professional athletes, particulary when there are allegations of non-payment of compensation. Thus, to avoid legal actions in court, we urge Global FC to comply with the provisions of the contract they entered into," added Mitra.
GAB is keeping the door open for the sanction to be lifted as long as Global Makati explains why it should not be implemented.
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