Former PBA MVP Arwind Santos is at a career crossroads after he was slapped with an indefinite suspension from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Arwind Santos is in heavy trouble as he was slapped with a hefty penalty and an indefinite suspension for a punching incident in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
This happened during Game 2 South Division quarterfinals last Monday at the Malolos Convention Center.
Basilan's Santos, 44, hit GenSan's Tonton Bringas at the 8:32 mark of the fourth quarter for a seeming retaliation on a nudge. Arwind was sent off with a disqualifying foul later that game.
Santos’ hit left Bringas hurting, having suffered a cut in his left eye area.
This urged the league to be swift in its actions and on Wednesday night, the MPBL handed Santos the penalty which also included a P100,000 fine.
League commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said that Santos’ actions were “deplorable” and that it was a bane on the league, especially during the postseason.
“We condemn the incident and the MPBL will not tolerate such actions, especially during the playoffs," Duremdes said in the statement.
"The league has the full authority to impose sanctions on this deplorable act, and we hope that our measures help put these behaviors to an immediate end," he added.
Basilan and GenSan thus meet in the winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday, October 24.
Basilan will be missing Santos and will do so until the MPBL decides to lift the indefinite suspension against the former PBA MVP and nine-time PBA champion.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.