Criminal complaints filed over disposal of Malampaya stake

October 19, 2021 | 7:53 pm

THREE INDIVIDUALS filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and other officials, alleging corruption in connection with the sale of stakes in the Malampaya natural gas project.

In the 42-page complaint filed Monday and released to the public Tuesday, geologist Balgamel D.B. Domingo and two other individuals, Rodel Rodis and Loida N. Lewis, alleged that Mr. Cusi and other energy officials conspired “to give unwarranted benefits and advantage to (Mr.) Uy’s Udenna Corp. and its subsidiary, UC Malampaya,” which they said is a violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. They were referring to Dennis A. Uy, the Udenna founder.

The three complainants said they are “concerned citizens who advocate for the Filipino people’s right to energy security.”

In November 2019, Mr. Uy bought all the shares of Chevron Malampaya LLC, now UC38 LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Philippines, Inc., which had a 45% stake in the Malampaya gas field in Palawan.

As such, Mr. Uy now owns 90% of the gas field as he had also acquired the holdings of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., which formerly owned 45%. The Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) holds the remaining 10%.

The Malampaya gas field covers about 830 square kilometers and covers up to 20% of the Philippines’ energy requirements, reducing its reliance on energy imports. Its commercially-viable output is also expected to be depleted within a few years.

In a Viber message which the Energy department sent reporters late on Tuesday, Mr. Cusi said the complaint was “harassment” with “the singular purpose of political propaganda”, adding that “it comes with the territory”.

Saying: “we will just address it at the proper forum where it was filed”, he added: “”no doubt the truth will vindicate me and the innocent people dragged into this purported action.”

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on energy, had also questioned the transaction with Mr. Uy, which he noted only took two months to approve. The committee also noted that under Presidential Decree 87, sale transactions involving oil exploration assets require prior approval from the government, in this case, the Department of Energy (DoE).

The complainants said prior DoE approval “would have prompted them to exercise the government’s right to match Udenna’s offer.”

Mr. Cusi, responding at the time to Mr. Gatchalian, said the deal was private and “beyond our (DoE’s) purview.”

Apart from Mr. Cusi, Mr. Uy, and officials of Shell Philippines and PNOC, other subjects of the complaint are officials of Udenna Corp., Chevron Philippines, Inc., and UC Malampaya Philippines.

In a statement, Udenna said it has yet to receive a copy of the complaint and will address the allegations at the proper time “to prove that everything is done aboveboard.”

The DoE’s spokesman, Felix William B. Fuentebella, said by phone that the department has yet to review the complaint. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

NGO urges presidential candidates to support cancellation of debt

October 19, 2021 | 7:53 pm

A NON-GOVERNMENT organization (NGO) urged candidates running for President to reveal their views on how they plan to govern with borrowed money.

Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Board Member Mae Buenaventura said candidates for the national elections next year need to be asked whether debt cancellation is in their plans.

“If there (are none), their recovery plans are questionable, because (debt payments) eat up a lot of public money,” she said in Filipino at a webinar organized by the FDC Tuesday.

Borrowing more is not necessarily the solution to propel the recovery from the pandemic, she said.

FDC Board Member Raquel Castillo said the group is requesting electoral candidates to pledge that social development will make up a bigger portion of the budget than debt payments.

“Increase social protection allocations to at least 2% of GDP (gross domestic product) and 15% of per capita GDP during normal times, but significantly increase that during pandemics,” she said in her presentation.

Ms. Castillo said that government should generate revenue and savings from the cancellation of “illegitimate debt,” the recovery of plundered wealth, and implement a wealth tax to finance its COVID-19 containment measures.

She called for a revival of the Congressional practice of auditing national debt, and the repeal of an automatic appropriations law committing government funds for debt service.

The debt was at a record P11.63 trillion at the end of August, up 21% from a year earlier.

The government added P1.85 trillion in debt over the first eight months of the year.

The FDC and at least 50 other organizations last year signed a global open letter to governments and international lenders calling for the unconditional cancellation of public external debt by all lenders for “countries in need” for at least four years.

Resources freed by the debt freeze should be used to address universal healthcare and social protections, according to the letter issued by the Global Action for Debt Cancellation.

Of the candidates who responded to queries about their positions on debt Leodegario de Guzman said via Viber: “The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), of which I am chairperson, is a member of the FDC. As a member of the coalition, I agree with its position.”

Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo’s campaign is in the process of consulting various sectors in drafting its platform, her spokesman Ibarra M. Gutierrez III said via WhatsApp.

BusinessWorld queried Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao and Senator Panfilo M. Lacson but they had not replied at the deadline. — Jenina P. Ibañez with Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Zamboanga biomass project worth P919.4M approved for incentives

October 19, 2021 | 7:52 pm

THE BOARD of Investments (BoI) said it recently approved an application for incentives of Libertad Power and Energy Corp. for a 6-megawatt (MW) biomass power plant worth P919.4 million in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur.

The company qualifies as a renewable energy developer under the eligibility criteria of the 2020 Investment Priorities Plan.

The BoI said in a statement on Tuesday that the facility is expected to begin operations by December 2022.

“In terms of employment, approximately 300 people are involved in the construction period with up to 60 workers manning the site upon formal operation,” the BoI said.

Ceferino S. Rodolfo, BoI managing head, said the project will contribute to the 12,273 MW in new capacity needed by Mindanao and will help meet the National Renewable Energy Plan’s goal of 823-MW biomass power by 2040.

“The demand for power in Mindanao will continue to increase due to the resurgence of economic growth as the country prepares for a post-pandemic scenario. The building up of capacity is needed to sustain this demand and ensure that supply of power to consumers is unhampered,” Mr. Rodolfo said.

The BoI said the Biomass Renewable Energy Operating Contract No. 2018-05-089 will cover the development, construction, installation, commissioning, and operation of a biomass energy system that will generate electrical power from direct combustion.

Feedstock for the plant will include rice husks, coconut husks, rice straw, corn cobs, wood chips, and coconut parts.

“Some 70% of biomass energy is consumed in developing countries for traditional uses with very low efficiency (10%-20%) while modern uses of biomass for heat and power generation include mainly high-efficiency, direct biomass combustion, co-firing with coal and biomass gasification,” the BoI said, citing a 2015 technology brief by the International Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Systems Analysis Program and the International Renewable Energy Agency.

The BoI said Mindanao accounted for 17.4% of installed power capacity in the Philippines in 2020, citing data from the Department of Energy.

“In the same year, peak demand in Mindanao reached 1,978 MW,” the BoI said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PHL lifts ban on cattle imports from Brazil after mad cow scare

October 19, 2021 | 7:52 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) lifted a ban on cattle imports from Brazil after a finding that cattle from that country have a negligible risk of suffering from atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Memorandum Order No. 65 on Oct. 18, allowing imports of meat products derived from cattle and live cattle from Brazil.

Mr. Dar said Brazilian authorities have submitted documents detailing their response to the detection of two atypical BSE cases, the country’s program of BSE surveillance, and efforts to keep BSE risk contained.

“The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code Article 11.4.1 (indicates) that atypical BSE is a condition believed to occur spontaneously in all cattle populations at a very low rate, thus atypical BSE must be excluded in official BSE risk status recognition,” Mr. Dar said.

“Based on the relevant information provided by Brazil, there is satisfactory evidence to show that the risk of importation of cattle and its related commodities is negligible and Brazil maintains officially recognized by OIE (as having) negligible BSE risk,” he added.

According to the memorandum order, boneless beef imports from Brazil should only come from “healthy ambulatory and not downer cattle,” referring to sick cattle that are disposed of for the sale of their meat.

It added that the slaughter date of the cattle or the production date of the beef should be indicated in the packaging label.

“Boneless beef except meat from the head, industrial, sangria and neck meat can be sourced from cattle of all ages, devoid of any nerves and other BSE-specified risk materials (SRM), shall be imported,” according to order said.

The DA frozen Brazilian beef imports via Memorandum Order No. 54 issued on Sept. 16.

Brazilian authorities had reported to the OIE confirmation of an atypical BSE outbreak in the states of Mato Grosso and Minais Gerais on Sept. 3.

As of Sept. 30, Brazilian beef imports accounted for 31.7% or 39,584.65 MT of overall beef imports so far, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

SEC warns against divulging personal data in petitions vs lending companies

October 19, 2021 | 7:52 pm

THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) warned the public not to give out personal information on Facebook in connection with campaigns to initiate petitions against lending companies.

“The (SEC) has received information that certain Facebook pages have been soliciting personal information from the public through the use of Google Forms for purposes of allegedly filing a petition to the SEC, the shutdown of so-called illegal lending companies, and other similar motives,” the regulator said in an advisory.

It reminded the public to be vigilant with personal information shared online, noting: “this is not the proper way of filing a complaint with the commission.”

A complaint form may be downloaded from the regulator’s website for SEC-registered firms. According to its website, only authorized lending or financing companies may become respondents to complaints.

“In order for the SEC to further investigate possible violations of the relevant laws, rules, and regulations committed by erring financing and lending companies, complainants should file a formal complaint directly to the SEC,” the commission said.

Concerns involving lending and financing companies may also be forwarded to the commission’s Corporate Governance and Finance Department.

Meanwhile, complaints or reports of companies engaging in lending activities without certificates of authority may be sent via e-mail to the SEC’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Fishermen’s association planning guide to help consumers identify imported fish

October 19, 2021 | 7:52 pm

fish-galunggong — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

AN ASSOCIATION of fisherfolk, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA), said it will issue a guide to help the public tell which fish are imported, after the government announced plans to import seafood that will compete with the local catch.

“The objective is to guide the public on how to identify the imported and local round scad (galunggong). We will release and distribute leaflets explaining why we should boycott the imported galunggong and other fishery products, and instead patronize the fresh produce of our local fishers,” PAMALAKAYA said in a statement Tuesday.

The Department of Agriculture has authorized certificates of necessity to import covering 60,000 metric tons of small pelagic fish such as galunggong to compensate for a possible drop in supply due to the closed fishing season in key fishing grounds.

Fernando L. Hicap, PAMALAKAYA national chairman, said fresh fish have clear and bulging eyes, while imported frozen fish have sunken eyes.

“We can (also) determine the freshness of the fish by its gills, which should be pinkish or bright red. Faded gills indicate that fish are past their prime,” Mr. Hicap said.

“We are calling on the consumers and fish vendors to reject the imported fish for their own safety and benefit. The fish-consuming public deserves fresh, quality fishery products, not frozen and tainted with chemical preservatives,” he added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PBA Finals tip off

October 19, 2021 | 7:05 pm

Poy — THE best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series between the TnT Tropang Giga and Magnolia Hotshots begins on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. — PBA IMAGES

TnT Tropang Giga, Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots get best-of-seven championship series going

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

COMPETITION in the PBA Philippine Cup is now down to two protagonists with the TnT Tropang Giga and Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots disputing the title.

The best-of-seven finals series of the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tournament begins on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga, with the battling teams expressing readiness to get it going.

TnT and Magnolia are two of the more consistent teams in the tournament. Even when the league had to take a one-month break because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related concerns, they stayed the course and were steady fixtures at the top of the standings in the elimination phase.

The Tropang Giga (10-1) and Hotshots (8-3) wound up as the top and third seeds, respectively, heading into the playoffs, where they in turn showed tremendous resolve and go-getting mindset to end up where they are now.

Chot Reyes-coached TnT was pretty much untouchable in the classification phase then dethroned erstwhile defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the quarterfinals.

It was greatly tested in the semifinals against the San Miguel Beermen, but pulled through in its rubber match Game Seven last Sunday to book its place in the finals.

Magnolia, for its part, had its highs and lows in the eliminations, but made sure it stayed in the mix with the top teams. In the playoffs, the Hotshots stepped up their game further, defeating the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in the quarterfinals and eliminating second seeds Meralco Bolts in the semifinals, 4-2.

In the finals, the teams are expecting a competitive contest, recognizing that they are both highly motivated and determined to see their respective causes through.

“We are relieved to have moved past San Miguel. But the job is only half done. There is still another huge mountain to climb that is playing very, very well in Magnolia,” said TnT’s Reyes after their Game Seven victory over San Miguel.

The Tropang Giga defeated the Hotshots in their lone encounter in the elimination round, 83-76, but Mr. Reyes said the finals is a whole new ball game and anything can happen.

“There is a reason they (Hotshots) are in the finals. Any finals, any competition, you will never know,” the TnT coach said.

“When teams play, it is always a 50-50 chance for them. The same goes in the finals. We just have to focus on what we need to do as a team,” he added.

For Magnolia big man Ian Sangalang, when teams make it to the finals, it should expect nothing less than a tough challenge.

“The fact that they (TnT) made it to the finals showed they are deserving to be there. It is going to be a grind against them,” he said.

“We are going to prepare hard,” Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, for his part, said. “[TnT] is a strong and deep team and we have to be ready.

TnT is seeking its sixth All-Filipino title and eighth PBA crown in franchise history. It was last a champion in 2015 with the Commissioner’s Cup.

Magnolia, on the other hand, is in search of Philippine Cup title number seven and 15^th league championship. The Hotshots’ most recent title was the 2018 Governors’ Cup.

Game One of the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals between TnT and Magnolia is set for 6 p.m.

ABUEVA LEADS BPC RACE
Meanwhile, Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva continues to lead the best player of the conference (BPC) race.

In the latest update of the league, the Magnolia forward accumulated an average of 34.2 statistical points (SPs) by the end of their semifinal campaign, built on averages of 15.2 points, 10 rebounds, 2.8 assists, one steal, and 1.1 block shots.

Northport Batang Pier’s Robert Bolick is second with 33.7 (SPs), but has seen his bid affected greatly after they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Mr. Abueva’s Magnolia teammate Mr. Sangalang is third with 33 SPs.

TnT rookie Mikey Williams (32 SPs) fell from second place to no. 4 after struggling early in the Tropang Giga’s semifinal series against San Miguel. He, however, was named player of the week for the period of Oct. 13 to 17.

Completing the top five in the BPC race is San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo with 31.8 SPs.

NBA 75^th anniversary season by the numbers

October 19, 2021 | 7:05 pm

Jordan — MICHAEL JORDAN led the NBA in points per game for a season a record 10 times. — ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBA PHOTOS

THE 75^th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) tips off on Wednesday (Manila time), with the league promising an eventful staging as it celebrates the landmark year.

Below is a by-the-numbers look at The Association’s rich history, taking note of some key moments and facts throughout the years.

1 – The NBA’s first regular-season game was played on Nov. 1, 1946, between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies at the Maple Leaf Garden in Toronto. The Knicks won the game, 68-66, with New York’s Ossie Schectman scoring the first basket.

4 – The NBA is built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association (which has played 75 seasons to date), Women’s National Basketball Association (25 seasons), NBA G League (20 seasons) and NBA 2K League (four seasons).

5 – The NBA has had five commissioners: Maurice Podoloff (1946-63), J. Walter Kennedy (1963-75), Larry O’Brien (1975 – 84), David Stern (1984 – 2014), and Adam Silver (2014 – Present).

6 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won a record six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards and Michael Jordan won a record six Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP awards.

8 – The Boston Celtics won eight consecutive NBA championships from 1958-59 – 1965-66, the longest such streak in league history.

10 – Michael Jordan led the NBA in points per game for a season a record 10 times and Shaquille O’Neal led the NBA in field goal percentage for a season a record 10 times.

11 – Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA championships as a player and Phil Jackson won a record 11 NBA championships as a head coach.

13 – The NBA has offices in 13 markets worldwide.

17 – The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers share the record for most NBA championships with 17 each.

19 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earned a record 19 NBA All-Star selections.

20 – Since 1978, the NBA has played games in more than 20 countries outside of the US and Canada. A total of 205 games have been played outside of the US and Canada during that span.

24 – The 24-second shot clock was implemented for the 1954-55 season and remains in effect today.

26 – Gregg Popovich is entering his 26^th season as the San Antonio Spurs head coach, the longest head coaching tenure with one team in NBA history. Mr. Popovich also begins the 2021-2022 season needing 26 victories to pass Don Nelson and become the winningest head coach in league history.

33 – The Los Angeles Lakers won 33 consecutive regular-season games in the 1971-1972 season, the longest winning streak in NBA history. The streak spanned Nov. 5, 1971 – Jan. 7, 1972.

41 – 2020-21 NBA MVP Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets was the 41^st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the lowest-drafted player to be named NBA MVP.

45 – The NBA has had 45 franchises in its history (30 active franchises and 15 inactive franchises).

56 – The NBA Most Valuable Player Award was first presented in 1956, with the St. Louis Hawks’ Bob Pettit earning the inaugural honor.

70 – The NBA has played 70 All-Star Games, an annual tradition that dates to 1951.

72 – The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won a then-record 72 regular-season games. They were the first team in NBA history to win at least 70 games in a season.

73 – The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors won an NBA-record 73 regular-season games.

75 – In the NBA’s first 75 regular seasons, there were more than 62,000 games played, more than 4,500 players who played in a game and more than 12.8 million points scored.

The defending champions Milwaukee Bucks play Eastern Conference powerhouse team Brooklyn Nets kicks off the new season at 7:30 a.m. and the retooled Los Angeles Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors at 10 a.m.

The NBA can be seen in the country over free TV on TV5 and One Sports and pay TV through Cignal TV as well as on NBA League Pass, Cignal Play and Smart GigaPlay. League-related content is also available over NBA.com/Philippines. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Red Sox slam Astros, grab 2-1 ALCS lead

October 19, 2021 | 7:05 pm

BOSTON — A change in scenery did little to help the Houston Astros cool the red-hot bats of the Boston Red Sox.

Kyle Schwarber smacked the Red Sox’s third grand slam in the past two games as Boston powered to a 12-3 rout of the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Monday night.

The Red Sox finished the night with four homers while taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“We’re playing good baseball,” said Boston’s Alex Cora, whose managerial record improved to 17-5 in the postseason. “Offensively, this is the best we’ve been the whole season, and they’re locked in right now.”

Schwarber’s second-inning slam into the right field bleachers off Astros starter Jose Urquidy (0-1) capped a six-run inning and sent the Fenway Park faithful into a frenzy.

Boston became the first team with three grand slams in the same postseason series. J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers each hit one in the Red Sox’s 9-5 win at Houston in Game 2 on Saturday.

“It’s been fantastic,” Schwarber said of Boston’s offense. “Ever since the playoffs started, I felt like we’ve done a really good job collectively as a group.”

Christian Arroyo added a two-run blast in the fourth for Boston, which jumped out to a 9-0 lead for the second straight game.

“It’s tough to come back when obviously, the first two innings they score eight or nine runs,” said Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, who went 0-for-4. “It’s just tough to come back from those games against great teams.”

Urquidy gave up six of those runs (five earned) in just 1 2/3 innings, bloating the ERA of Houston’s three starters in the series to 20.25.

“I have nothing to say. That was a bad day,” Urquidy said. “We are good. We’re early in the series. We’re hoping to win tomorrow to tie the series and bring home the series (to Houston).”

Arroyo (three RBIs) and Martinez (2-for-3) each had two-run homers on Monday, Devers added a solo blast and Christian Vazquez (2-for-4) had a pair of RBIs for the Red Sox.

Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0) allowed three runs on five hits and no walks while striking out seven over six innings.

Game 3 winners when the ALCS was tied at one game apiece have gone on to win the series 78% (18 of 23) of the time. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Boston.

Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer to account for the only Houston offense.

Vazquez’s bases-loaded single plated Boston’s first run with one out in the second before Arroyo reached on a fielding error by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. One run scored on the miscue, and the bases remained loaded for leadoff hitter Schwarber, who socked a 3-0 pitch.

Hunter Renfroe walked with one out in the Boston third and advanced to third after his steal of second coaxed a Martin Maldonado throw into center. Vazquez singled him home before Arroyo belted a pitch into the Green Monster seats in left.

Tucker’s third postseason home run of the year, in the fourth off Rodriguez, cut Houston’s deficit to 9-3. Martinez got two runs back for Boston on his third playoff homer in the sixth, and Devers belted his fourth long ball of the postseason in the eighth. — Reuters

Titans stuff Bills near goal line, survive for wild win

October 19, 2021 | 7:04 pm

DERRICK Henry scored three touchdowns and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons stuffed Josh Allen for no gain on a fourth-and-one quarterback sneak with 12 seconds left on Monday night as the Tennessee Titans held off the Buffalo Bills 34-31 in Nashville, TN.

Henry’s 13-yard scoring run with 3:05 left marked the game’s seventh lead change. An eighth lead change almost happened on Isaiah McKenzie’s 101-yard kickoff return after Henry’s score, but the apparent touchdown was erased by a holding penalty.

Buffalo (4-2) drove to the three-yard line and turned down an almost cinch field goal that might have forced overtime. Allen tried to sneak off left guard, but Simmons sliced between two linemen and stopped the play.

Allen finished 35 of 47 for 353 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Henry rushed 20 times for 143 yards in his fifth straight 100-yard performance.

Ryan Tannehill completed 18 of 29 passes for 216 yards with an interception for Tennessee (4-2), which won for the fourth time in five games.

Buffalo initiated the scoring with a pair of Tyler Bass field goals. He hit from 24 and 28 yards for a 6-0 lead at the 11:36 mark of the second quarter, capping lengthy drives that saw the Bills fail to convert red zone penetration into touchdowns.

Tennessee effected a lead change on the first play after Bass’ second field goal. Henry ripped off a 76-yard touchdown run to kick off the game’s remainder that featured the teams swapping the lead at a dizzying clip.

Before the quarter ended, Allen found Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley for touchdown strikes of 14 and 29 yards, while the Titans got a 43-yard field goal from Randy Bullock and a four-yard scoring run by Tannehill.

Leading 20-17 as the third quarter started, Buffalo got a 52-yard field goal from Bass at the 10:49 mark, but Henry powered in from the 3 with 4:23 remaining in the period.

The Bills grabbed a 31-24 advantage when Allen found Tommy Sweeney for a one-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left in the quarter. — Reuters

Unvaccinated athletes unlikely to get visas to enter Australia — official

October 19, 2021 | 7:03 pm

MELBOURNE — Unvaccinated tennis players and other athletes are unlikely to get visas to enter Australia, a government official said on Tuesday, putting Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open title defense and bid for the Grand Slam record in doubt.

World number one Novak Djokovic, level on 20 Grand Slam titles with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, declined to reveal his vaccination status again this week and said he was unsure if he would defend his Australian Open title as authorities work out coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions for the tournament.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said he doubted any unvaccinated athletes would be allowed into the country, let alone Victoria which hosts the Australian Open in Melbourne.

“I don’t think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa, to come into this country and if they did get a visa they’d probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks,” Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews told a media briefing.

“I don’t think that the person you indicated (Djokovic) or any other tennis player, let’s not personalize it… or golfer or Formula One driver will even get a visa to get here.

“If I’m wrong, I’m sure the federal government will let you know.

“(The virus) doesn’t care what your tennis ranking is, or how many Grand Slams you’ve won. It’s completely irrelevant. You need to be vaccinated to keep yourself safe and to keep others safe.”

Tennis Australia, which organizes the Australian Open, did not provide immediate comment.

Victoria recently introduced a vaccine mandate for professional athletes, without clarifying whether it would cover those coming from abroad or other Australian states.

Andrews suggested the mandate did cover international athletes and said there should not be special arrangements for athletes coming to compete at high-profile events.

“On the question of vaccination, no,” he said.

“Professional sport is part of those (items on the) authorized worker list and they have to be double-dose vaccinated.

“This is here for a while…. We’re not going to be essentially encouraging people to not get vaccinated because they reckon they can wait a few months or a few weeks.

“You can’t wait out coronavirus.” — Reuters

Expect fireworks as Lakers and Warriors open NBA 75

October 19, 2021 | 7:03 pm

TWO teams balancing early-season transitions and late-season title aspirations share the national spotlight on Tuesday on National Basketball Association (NBA) Opening Night when the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

The duel of the only Western Conference franchises to win NBA titles since 2014 is a rematch of a historic meeting last May, when the Lakers beat the Warriors (103-100) at home in the opener of the league’s first-ever play-in tournament.

Fighting through blurred vision that resulted from getting poked in the eye earlier in the game, LeBron James hit the game-clinching 3-pointer in the final minute in that one, and later declared, “I was seeing three rims and shot at the middle one.”

Much has changed since the night when James put up a 22-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, which was barely enough to offset a 37-point night by Golden State’s Stephen Curry.

The Lakers have retained just three players from that team that went on to lose to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western playoffs. And one of those three — Talen Horton-Tucker — won’t suit up for the opener because of a thumb injury.

James and superstar sidekick Anthony Davis are now surrounded by the likes of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard, the latter two having returned to the team after playing elsewhere last season.

A 0-6 preseason, which included two losses to Golden State, didn’t surprise James.

“We’re going to have moments where we’re not quite right there,” he admitted. “We may take steps backward. I think nothing is worth having if it’s not worth working for.”

The Warriors return six of the eight who got minutes in the season-ending loss, but still are without All-Star guard Klay Thompson, who continues to rehab an Achilles injury that cost him the entire 2021 season, and big man James Wiseman, who is close to returning from a torn meniscus in his knee.

Golden State gave itself a chance in the play-in game by hitting 15 of its 34 3-point attempts, and the Lakers would be wise to expect more of the same this time around.

After setting a franchise record by averaging 38.7 3-point attempts last season, the Warriors went crazy from beyond the arc in the offseason, putting up a whopping 63.2 a night.

Curry hit 17 of his 42 from deep in his four games, but that wasn’t even the most encouraging part for the Warriors. Jordan Poole hit 16 treys over five games, while newcomers Otto Porter, Jr. (55.2%) and Nemanja Bjelica (44.4%) combined to make 24 in 47 attempts.

The Warriors went 5-0 in the preseason, capped by a 41-point explosion by Curry in a 22-point romp over Portland in Friday’s finale.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr stamped his guys ready to go, especially Curry, the league’s reigning scoring champ.

“He’s been building up perfectly from before camp started to all of the training over the summer to now,” Kerr said of Curry. “He’s clearly ready to roll for the regular season. He’s in a great place.”

In opening the NBA’s 75^th season, the Warriors and Lakers are opening in Los Angeles for the first time since 1982. Times have changed: That game featured a total of nine 3-point attempts and only two were successful: One by LA’s Mike McGee and the other by the Warriors’ Joe Hassett.

World B. Free led Golden State with 30 points as the Warriors recorded a 132-117 victory over the defending NBA champions who were led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (22 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 points), and James Worthy (20 points). — Reuters