Int'l group calls on rival RP pool factions to settle row

MANILA, Philippines – A world billiards group is calling the rival factions in Philippine pool to settle their differences. The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) said the row between the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and the Billiards Managers and Players of the Philippines (BMPAP) is “contrary to the best interest of the sport". The BMPAP said in a news release that players under its wings would boycott the World 10-Ball Championships scheduled in September. Ian Anderson, the WPA president, asked the two groups to consider the interest of the sport and the welfare of players “who only want to participate and seek the opportunity of becoming a world champion at these two prestigious tournaments." “Talks of boycotts and running a rival tournament at the same time as the World 10-Ball are contrary to the best interest of the sport and the international community," Anderson said. “Targeting any WPA event with an action designed to sabotage it will be deemed hostile toward the WPA, who would reluctantly be forced to take whatever action it felt necessary," he added. The WPA president said the BSCP is the member for the Philippines of the Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU), which in turn is the continental federation for Asia in the world body. An APBU member is required to have recognition from the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of each country. Like other continental members, the APBU has only one member per country. Anderson pointed out that under the WPA agreement covering the 9-ball and 10-Ball world championships, “the players competing must be in good standing with their own national federations". In this case, it is the BSCP. WPA president Ian Anderson also asked the BSCP and the BMPAP to jointly “allow the two events to take place as scheduled" so that all the best players can participate in the tournaments. – GMANews.TV