San Juan-Go for Gold took the initiative to hand out their own sanction on disgraced assistant coach Yong Garcia on Tuesday.
The Knights’ management has suspended Garcia for one whole month without pay for the spitting incident that occurred between him and Valenzuela’s Lord Casajeros on Monday evening.
“San Juan-Go For Gold with our highest standard in the sports industry is hereby suspending Assistant Coach Efren Garcia for one month without any allowances and incentives in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League regular season 2022,” read the team’s statement.
“With much to our regret, the suspension will take effect immediately.”
Garcia spat on the right shoulder of Casajeros with just a minute left before halftime.
#MPL2022 San Juan Knights assistant coach Yong Garcia was caught spitting at Valenzuela’s Lord Casajeros
🎥 One PH pic.twitter.com/HcKQ0uSksb
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 30, 2022
Randy Alcantara’s lead assistant explained that his frustration with how Casajeros plays led to it, an act he would later on regret.
Garcia had issued a public apology earlier in the day.
San Juan, meanwhile, stressed that it won’t tolerate such acts.
“Our management will not tolerate such unethical acts that damaged our beloved city and our name in basketball.”
Meanwhile, the league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes also fined Garcia P60,000.
“MPBL condemns any and all kinds of unsportsmanlike conduct, especially deliberate acts of violence,” the league said in a statement.
“May this be a reminder to everyone who wishes to tarnish the reputation and image of not just the league and all of its stakeholders but the game of basketball itself.”
