PBA lifts ban on Renaldo Balkman

The PBA has revoked its lifetime ban on former import Renaldo Balkman.

League commissioner Willie Marcial made the announcement on Tuesday, some five years after Balkman was meted a penalty over a meltdown while playing for Petron Blaze against Alaska. Then-league commissioner Chito Salud meted out the lifetime ban along with a P250,000 fine over the incident, which saw Balkman putting his hands on teammate Arwind Santos' neck in the dying moments of the Petron loss.

"He wrote a letter of appeal then personally appeared in my office. But I didn't decide just based on that. I solicited the thoughts of Commissioner Chito Salud and Arwind Santos. Both gave their thumbs up for the lifting of the ban," Marcial said in a news release posted in the PBA website.

"Balkman was apologetic and gave assurance for his behavior on and off the court. He has matured since the incident now that he's 33," Marcial added.

Salud, meanwhile, expressed trust that Balkman "has learned his lesson and has become a better person and a more disciplined athlete."

Balkman is eligible to suit up in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. —JST, GMA News