Calvin Abueva’s return to the PBA hardcourt is closer than ever.
Friday morning, the Games and Amusements Board decided to reinstate the 32-year-old’s professional license.
And Phoenix Super LPG head coach Topex Robinson could not hide his relief with the development.
“Against, it’s a big win for us,” Robinson expressed to Tiebreaker Times. “GAB was gracious enough to give him this new lease on his career.
“He’s lucky because not everyone is given another chance.”
Abueva can fully regain his license under two conditions, which Robinson says was standard protocol. First is that he has to attend a seminar on The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of a Professional Athlete, and second is to undergo a mandatory drug test.
“Those two requirements are easy to do. It’s not like pinapatalon siya sa building or pinapaakyat ng bundok,” quipped Robinson.
“Para sa kanya naman lahat ‘yan and for his betterment as a person and as an athlete.”
Three days ago, GAB met with Abueva and Robinson in their office in Makati. During that meeting, the agency saw how remorseful the enigmatic forward was for the two incidents he did a year ago — directing an obscene gesture at Ray Parks’ girlfriend and hitting import Terrence Jones.
“Abueva was remorseful in what he did and was sincere enough to accept his wrongdoings,” read part of GAB’s statement.
Moments after GAB called Phoenix’s brass, Robinson immediately went to Abueva’s room to talk to him.
He then made sure that his “panganay” fully grasps the opportunity given to him.
“I told him that all the cards have been given to him. Nandiyan na e,” shared Robinson, who also coached Abueva in San Sebastian back in 2001-12.
“He knows what he did before was wrong and that’s over with. What matters now is what he will do next.”
This was a long time coming for Abueva, who has been out of the league for 15 months.
But despite the gravity of his acts from a year ago, both PBA and GAB did not relinquish their ties with Abueva.
And Robinson made sure that Abueva realized that.
“Sabi ko nga kay Calvin, ‘May nakikita sila sa ‘yo na hindi mo nakikita sa sarili mo’,” he said.
“Despite everything that had happened, they still see the good in you.”
