ALEX "The Lion" Pagulayan lambasted the current leadership of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and described the group as the most disorderly National Sports Association (NSA).
Pagulayan, who is in Cebu for the 2007 Sun Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge, alleged that BSCP is biased for some players and that he is deeply affected by their actions.
Aside from the bias, there is also a lack of program for the players. Because of these reasons, Pagulayan is now serious in his bid to put up an association for the billiards and snooker players, which he will try to work out once he returns to Manila.
"That's the first thing I will do once I'm back in Manila. I am already supported by 80 percent of the players, this includes Django (Francisco Bustamante and Efren (Reyes)," Pagulayan said.
Pagulayan had a good chance of making it to the 2007 Guinness 9-Ball Tour Grand Finals but was replaced by Jeffrey de Luna, who only has 40 points, going into the final leg of the tour in Beijing on Aug. 3 to 6.
Good chance
Only the top 10 will make it to the grand finals.
"I had a good chance of making it to the Grand Finals because I already had 70 points. Even if he (de Luna) wins the leg it is impossible for him to make it to the Finals because he needs at least 120 points to be in the top 10. The champion in each tour will earn only 70 points," Pagulayan said.
"Why don't they give chances to other players and keep the same lineup" Just like the Chinese Taipei team who are consistent in sending their team. Actually (what they had done) is unfair to the players and we (players) have to fix this problem," Pagulayan explained.
Antics
However, BSCP president Ernesto Fajardo defended their decision to replace Pagulayan with de Luna allegedly because of Pagulayan's antics during the semifinal round of the Guinness Singapore leg.
But according to Pagulayan, he was replaced because he turned down an offer to play in a tournament because he has prior commitments.
Pagulayan lamented that because he is already out of the Guinness tour, it would lessen his chances to make it to the World Pool Championships which will be held in Manila in November.
The Guinness Tour also serves as a qualifying event for the World Pool Championships.
"Aside from the date and the venue (of the WPC), there is no other information we get. We didn't even know that they had changed the tournament format from round-robin to double-elimination. That is the job of the NSA to notify the players of the development of the tournament," Pagulayan said.
The other players who are not entered in the Guinness 9-Ball tour will have to wait for another qualifying tournament in order to get a spot for the 2007 WPC.
