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Good news in the fight against red tape

Red tape and over-regulation have been the perennial problems in doing business in the Philippines. For local businesses, it is a source of stress and an unnecessary obstacle that erodes productivity. For foreign investors, it is reason enough for them to invest in Singapore and Malaysia rather than the Philippines. So severe is our red tape that for the year 2019 (evaluation period 2018), the World Bank ranked the Philippines 124th out of 190 countries in terms of ease in doing business. Within ASEAN, the Philippines was only better than Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.

Through Republic Act 11032 of 2018, the Duterte administration created the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), a new agency under the Department of Trade and Industry. It commenced operations in August 2019. Jeramiah Belgica was appointed ARTA’s first Director General. Belgica is an accomplished lawyer who previously served in the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission. He is also a religious pastor for the Lord’s Vineyard Covenant Church.

I recently attended a meeting where Mr. Belgica appraised the European Chamber of Commerce about ARTA’s purpose and its first year accomplishments.

At the heart of ARTA’s mission are two basic mandates. The first is to assist both national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) in streamlining their operations, re-engineering their procedures and digitizing their regulatory management systems. This involves intense training and systems modernization. The second involves enforcement oversight. ARTA has the power to impose reforms, set deadlines and penalize whole agencies and their officials for non-compliance.

Last March, ARTA issued a memorandum to all government agencies prescribing the maximum allowable time to process transactions. Processing of simple transactions like drivers licenses, passports, and business permits should not take longer than three working days. Complex transactions like engineering permits should not take longer than seven working days. And processing of highly complex transactions like financial assessments should not exceed 20 working days. Agencies that do not comply with these parameters are subject to punitive sanctions.

Further, ARTA now requires all government agencies to physically and electronically post, in a conspicuous location, what it calls a “Citizens Charter.” The Citizen’s Charter serves as the public guide in dealing with the said government agency. It specifies the checklist of documentary requirements for each permit, the steps to final approval, the people responsible for each step, the maximum time for processing and the fees involved. The Citizens Charter makes dealings with the government transparent. It negates the need for fixers and removes the opportunity for extortion. It gives bureaucrats no reason to ask for more documentary requirements than what is in the list. It sets the expectation on how long one must wait for the process.

The Citizen’s Charter is a binding social pact between government and the public. Government agencies face punitive consequences should they deviate from the standards set in the Citizen’s Charter. The public can file their complaints through complaints@arta.gov.ph.

Now, what happens if a particular government agency fails to approve or decide upon an application within the prescribed time? According to ARTA’s directive, said application is automatically deemed approved. This applies to such permits, as those from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Food and Drug Administration, among others.

Last February, ARTA, through the office of the President, issued an administrative order to promote efficiency in all government processes. In particular, it required all LGUs to fully automate their business processing and licensing systems within a three year period. It also required them to establish a Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) whereby all permits are digitally processed in one venue. Many LGUs, particularly those in Metro Manila, already have their BOSS in place. LGUs in the provinces have yet to catch up.

The recent work from home phenomenon has hastened government’s migration to a fully digitized platform.

Through ARTA’s initiative, government agencies were recently instructed to accept digital copies of applications, reports, and supporting documents. They were also instructed to accept e-signatures and electronic payments. Unless expressly required by law, documents no longer need to be notarized. Data sharing is now encouraged among government agencies to avoid redundant submission of documents. Notifications and publications are also encouraged to be done online or through e-mail, no longer via slow mail.

ARTA recently launched a self-challenging program called the National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA). NEHEMIA calls for a 52% reduction in time, cost, procedures and requirements in all government processes within 52 weeks. The entire cabinet is participating in NEHEMIA and the Cabinet Secretaries themselves have committed to spearhead the reforms within their respective offices.

The telecommunication industry will be the testing ground for NEHEMIA. As we all know, securing permits for the construction of cellular towers is a long, tedious process that involves 13 permits, 86 documentary requirements, and an average of 241 days to complete. NEHEMIA’s package of efficiency programs aims to reduce this to eight permits, 35 documentary requirements and 16 days processing time.

Numerous unnecessary requirements have already been eliminated such as Home Owner’s Consent, the approval of the Sangunian Panglungsod and the clearance for high restrictions from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (in non-critical zones), among others.

Next in ARTA’s agenda are programs to shorten the regulatory requirements in the housing and construction industry, food and pharmaceuticals, and power and energy sectors.

One year into their operation and we are already feeling ARTA’s impact. In the 2020 survey of the World Bank, the Philippines was one of the most improved countries, jumping 29 places from 124th to 95th place.

There is a long way to go before government agencies and LGU’s become fully digitized, simplified and efficient. But unlike years past where government agencies were left to their own devices, this time, ARTA is there to guide, teach and push reforms forward.

Should ARTA live up to its promises, it can be the most significant legacy left by the Duterte administration. Expectations could not be any higher.

 

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist

Why (and how) I plan to die with an empty bank account

IF 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life is uncertain. Through this lens, I’ve started to abandon some conservative personal finance principles. This summer, for example, I went against the adage of “staying the course” with retirement and stuck my hand in my IRA to shed some stocks. I also bought a house in what can be considered a risky environment. To date, I have no regrets.

In my latest move away from what many financial experts preach, I’ve forgone the aspiration of leaving a financial legacy. The concept of bequeathing an inheritance just seems to make less sense today. Instead, I want to experience my legacy by spending most, if not all, of my money on meaningful experiences and investing in the people and causes I believe in — all before I leave Earth.

This financial philosophy has grown increasingly popular with the ultra-wealthy. Laurene Powell Jobs, who inherited over $20 billion from her late husband, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, vows to give away all her assets during her living years, contributing to social and economic causes that need financial support. Before that, Sting, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett all pledged to not leave their children much, if any, inheritance.

But the idea should become mainstream. After speaking with Bill Perkins about his new book, Die With Zero: Getting All You Can From Your Money and Your Life, I was shocked to find myself convinced that spending more money while you’re alive is more fulfilling than leaving behind a nest egg.

“With each year that passes … our ability to convert dollars into positive life experiences declines over time,” Perkins tells me. The “optimal utility of money,” as he calls it, is using money to have the maximum greatest experiences you can in your living years. It’s important because experiences are what actually drive fulfillment and happiness. “I’m more about saving your life than saving your money,” he says.

Of course, the challenge with this approach is to not die with less than zero, leaving debt behind for someone else. The philosophy doesn’t give my husband and me permission to overspend. Instead, it forces us to practice restraint and deliberation as we choose how to allocate our money while we’re alive.

Nail down “enough.” Yes, we still need to save for retirement, but primarily with only our personal needs (and the needs of any remaining dependents) in mind. Instead of accumulating for its own sake, we’re determined to have a specific monetary goal.

In his book, Perkins, who first made his fortune in finance, calls this your personal “survival number.” It’s the amount you need to support yourself with regards to health, shelter, and food when you no longer have much income.

Your survival number is more bare-bones than the standard retirement savings recommendation of needing between eight and 10 times your salary or living off of 80% of your pre-retirement income. Maybe that figure can be closer to 40% or 50%, especially if you downsize earlier or live in a more affordable place.

For example, we just bought our home in New Jersey and plan to stay here for the next 15 years or so until the kids are finished with high school. After that, it wouldn’t really make financial sense to keep our residence, given the enormous town taxes, which mainly serve the public schools.

Optimize spending. After determining what’s “enough,” Perkins advises mapping out the expenses and experiences that are critical to your fulfillment and the impact you want to have on the world. For us, that’s putting money toward supporting our kids’ education and well-being, traveling, and giving back.

Before aiming to die with zero, I wanted my family to be able to spend an entire month each summer living in a foreign country. Now, this dream looks all the more worthwhile as the type of enriching experience I value. And, depending on what happens with travel post-COVID, it can be more achievable, since I won’t be putting it off just to have a bit more saved for retirement.

The idea of leaving nonprofits money in our will also feels a bit detrimental to the causes we want to support. Why not give sooner if we can? To that end, I’ve automated some of my giving plans similar to how we contribute for retirement.

Rethink retirement. One of the first books on this concept, Die Broke by Stephen Pollan and Mark Levine from 1998, prescribes a four-step plan to ensure you utilize every dollar while alive. Step three is to “not retire.” It was a radical suggestion back then. Today, not so much.

This is an important consideration for those (outside the super-rich) who want to die without any debt and spend their later years living on “just enough.” I’m already thinking about getting my real estate license in my 50s to generate some additional income and supplement our needs in retirement.

Have a plan for the kids. Not leaving an inheritance to your children doesn’t mean you don’t care about them. Instead, it means that you bestow your wealth upon them when they’re young and most likely working to start a business or a family or investing. The best part is you can bear witness to it all.

“If we’re trying to have the maximum impact on our kids’ lives, we want to basically deliberately choose to give them money in a certain time frame,” Perkins says, “not when they’re in their 60s and their health is declining.”               

Do we risk spoiling them? Not if we explain our plan and if they understand that the money they’re receiving in portions is to help them build a strong and meaningful life for themselves and their kids. And yes, we’re fully aware of the gift tax (the US taxes the transfer of money or property to another person above $15,000 per year). So while our kids are young, we’re filling up as many investment buckets as we can for them that carry tax advantages, from a 529 college savings plan to a custodial Roth IRA. We also have life insurance, as that’s integral to taking care of our kids, should one of us pass away sooner than expected.

I’m not sure what the afterlife has in store for us, but I do trust that this alternative financial framework will enable us to make the most of our living years. And the kids? They’ll be all right.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Alex Eala looking to do well at 2020 French Open Jr. tourney

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

YOUNG Filipino tennis star Alex Eala was to begin her 2020 French Open juniors tournament campaign on Sunday night (Manila time) at Roland Garros in Paris, France, where she hopes to pick up from her winning ways early this year before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the tennis season.

Eala, 15, and Globe ambassador since 2013, captured the 2020 Australian Open juniors’ double events with partner Priska Nugroho of Indonesia in January. She was looking forward to building on it, but the pandemic and the subsequent postponement of events did not allow her to.

Entering this year’s French Open, Eala, seeded second in the tournament, was out to get back on a roll and continue her ascent in the sport.

“Thank you for your messages. The draws are out and I play fourth match on Court 4… I think I’m the only Asian in the draw. Laban! Vamos! Allez!” Eala excitedly wrote on a Facebook post as she prepared for her first match.

The Filipino, who is based right now in Mallorca, Spain, as a scholar of the Rafa Nadal Academy, was to meet Natalia Szabanin of Hungary late on Sunday.

A victory there would send her to the second round where she would take on the winner between Sarah Illiev of France and Mara Guth of Germany.

Eala is currently ranked fourth in the world and is the youngest among the current top 50 junior tennis players.

In 2018, Eala was ranked 248 in the world. She continued to work on her game and made waves after and climbed to 11th by the end of 2019.

Early this year she cracked the top 10, climbing to fifth then to where she is now at fourth.

By winning the Australian Open juniors title, Eala made history by becoming the first Filipina to win a grand slam title, be it in juniors or seniors play.

Since she was eight years old, Globe has been supporting Eala in her tennis pursuit.

Magsayo edges Mexican foe in ring return

FILIPINO Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo marked his boxing ring return with a hard-earned split decision victory over Mexican opponent Rigoberto Hermosillo on Sunday (Manila time) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Fighting for the first time under MP Promotions, Mr. Magsayo found the going tough early but did just enough to swing the tide in his favor as the fight progressed en route to the win that kept his record unblemished at 21-0.

The scorecard after 10 rounds read, 100-90, 96-94 and 94-96, for the Bohol native.

Mr. Hermosillo was aggressive all throughout the fight, even outlanding Mr. Magsayo in punches, 181-136, as per the official fight count, as well as in punches thrown, 856-417.

The Filipino, however, was more efficient (33% to his opponent’s 21%) with his punches, which included solid blows to the head that rocked Mr. Hermosillo.

Following his victory, Mr. Magsayo thanked his team, particularly coach Freddie Roach, who he said taught him a lot throughout their preparation.

The Hermosillo fight was the first for Mr. Magsayo since August last year, where he was a unanimous decision winner over Thai Panya Uthok.

Mr. Hermosillo is a replacement opponent for the Filipino fighter, who was named less than two weeks before the fight, after original foe Jose Haro of the United States opted out of the scheduled bout and went into retirement.

Mr. Magsayo signed with Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions in March where he hopes to re-establish his career and join stable mates Jerwin Ancajas, John Riel Casimero and Pedro Taduran as world champions. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Phoenix making most of limited time of preparation

GIVEN less than two weeks to prepare on court, the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters are trying everything they can to make the most of it before they plunge back into Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) action beginning next week.

Speaking on The Chasedown program on Saturday, Phoenix interim coach Topex Robinson said they are excited to get back to what they are doing, but admitted it entails a lot of work given the limited time they are afforded, more so for a team like theirs which is undergoing a transition process.

The Fuel Masters along with the other 11 PBA teams, are now at Clark City in Angeles, Pampanga, where they will be competing in the resumption of the suspended Philippine Cup beginning Oct. 11 held under a “bubble” setup.

They will be holed up in Clark for two months to finish at least a conference in the league’s coronavirus pandemic-hit year.

Mr. Robinson, who took over from erstwhile Phoenix coach Louie Alas during the pandemic-forced break, shared that since entering the bubble they have been very busy with practices, looking to establish collective rhythm.

“We’ve been doing practices and slowly, but surely we’re getting there. We haven’t played for a while, so everybody is adjusting,” said Mr. Robinson.

The interim Phoenix coach went on to say that the team is pretty much complete but they are also awaiting word if star forward Calvin Abueva could play with them in the bubble.

Mr. Abueva was suspended by the PBA in July last year for conduct unbecoming of a professional and actions detrimental to the league.

His PBA return gained some headway last week when the Games and Amusements Board signified its intent to reinstate his license to play pending completion of some requirements.

The development opened the window for Mr. Abueva to join the team in bubble practices, which Mr. Robinson said is a big step for them as a team.   

“Calvin has been practicing with us, so it’s a big boost since he has not with us for quite a while. If he gets to play, he will be a big help. What you see on court with him, that’s how he is in practice. He brings energy to the team. The intangibles he brings are something we really miss,” the Phoenix coach said.

“But regardless if he gets to play or not, we will come out competing. Our goal in the bubble is to be the best versions of ourselves,” he added.

As to the league bubble that is about to start, Mr. Robinson said it is going to be interesting, especially since all the teams are starting with limited time of preparation because of the break caused by the pandemic.  

“All of us are given at least 10 days of preparation. So you cannot really tell who has the advantage at this time and it all depends on how you will use those days of preparation,” he said.

Mr. Robinson, however, said that teams which have established systems should have an easier time.

“So you have San Miguel, Ginebra, NLEX, and others which are just about continuity. I think it’s only us and Blackwater which are still adjusting because of the changes we had,” he said.

But despite that, Mr. Robinson said they will be out to compete throughout the bubble and establish a system and culture that works.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us, but we will be investing in time and effort and take it a step at a time.” — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Fil-Aussie Culibao settles for split draw at UFC Abu Dhabi

FILIPINO-AUSTRALIAN fighter Joshua Culibao marked his Ultimate Fighting Championship return on Sunday with a split draw with Canadian Charles Jourdain.

Looking to redeem himself after losing by technical knockout in his UFC debut in February, Mr. Culibao, 26, competed hard but could not notch the victory he was angling for.

Mr. Culibao started well in the fight, marked by a huge shot that sent his opponent to the mat in the opening round. In the second round, however, Mr. Jourdain found his footing and stood toe-to-toe with the Fil-Aussie fighter.

Mr. Culibao then tried to gain some headway once again to begin the third round, but the Canadian was up for it and countered with aggressiveness of his own.

The two fighters found themselves on the ground in the latter part of the round, where Mr. Jourdain tried to go for the finish with a triangle and solid elbow shots.

Mr. Culibao though survived the onslaught until the final bell sounded.

When the scorecards were read, the fight was rendered a split draw, with one judge scoring it, 30-27, for Mr. Jourdain, another, 29-28, for Mr. Culibao, and the last one, 28-28. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Collins knocks out former champion Muguruza to reach last 16

PARIS — American Danielle Collins threw the kitchen sink at former champion Garbine Muguruza to force her way into the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-5 2-6 6-4 victory on Saturday.

Collins, who has very little experience on clay, was 3-0 down in the decider but battled through to set up a meeting with Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the first Arab woman to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros.

“She (Muguruza) was playing some of her best tennis, coming up with incredible shots and there wasn’t much I could do, so I rolled with the punches and hung in there,” said the 26-year-old Collins.

“Honestly, I don’t have a lot of experience playing on clay — I didn’t play on claycourts for a couple of years – so it took a while to get acclimatised.

“When I went to college, I played only on hard courts, I was just competing, practising always on hard courts. When I turned professional, I realised I would have to play on clay and I didn’t have the best results.”

Muguruza, who lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 2016, seemed to be in control after losing the opening set, having missed seven of eight break opportunities, but she eventually crumbled under Collins’ punches.

The match started on court Suzanne Lenglen but was suspended by rain after one game before being moved under the roof of court Philippe Chatrier.

Collins, playing in the third round here for the first time, played aggressively from the onset, her winners making up for a string of unforced errors.

Muguruza had eight break points in the first set but converted only one while her opponent, whose best results have come on hard courts, converted two of three.

Spain’s 11th seed, however, stayed composed.

She continued to play neatly and seized her opportunities this time, breaking twice to go 5-1 up in the second set.

Muguruza’s counter-punching became too hard to handle for Collins, who dropped serve twice early in the decider as the Spaniard raced into a 3-0 lead.

But Collins pulled one break back, then two to level for 4-4. She won the next game to love and wrapped it up on her first match point when Muguruza could only return one of her opponent’s massive forehands wide. — Reuters

Djokovic sweeps past Galan into last 16

PARIS — Top seed Novak Djokovic continued his imperious progress at the French Open with a 6-0 6-3 6-2 drubbing of Colombian Daniel Galan to effortlessly reach the last 16 for the 11th straight year on Saturday.

The 33-year-old was rarely extended by his 153rd-ranked opponent and even found time to double up as a court sweeper when the match was briefly interrupted by rain.

Djokovic, like 12-time champion Rafa Nadal, has reached the fourth round without the loss of a set although things will toughen up with powerful Russian Karen Khachanov up next.

The 33-year-old Serb won the first set in 28 minutes and when he broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set a rare ‘triple bagel’ looked a possibility.

But Galan, a lucky loser from qualifying, got on the board with a rasping forehand winner which brought loud cheers from the small crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.

With heavy rain falling and the new roof sliding slowly across, meaning Galan was exposed to the elements and Djokovic was not, the Serb ordered the chair umpire to halt play after his opponent slipped during a rally on the muddy baseline.

After groundsmen with wheelbarrows had spread more clay across the court to improve the slimy surface, a laughing Djokovic offered a hand, grabbing a sweeper, before resuming his day job with the roof closed.

Djokovic was surprised the roof had not been closed earlier.

“I saw the forecast and it didn’t look good at all,” he said. “If you have a roof, why not use it? I thought we lost quite a bit of time.”

He has certainly not been wasting any time so far in the French capital and once play resumed the outcome was never in doubt, although Galan did make the world number one work up a sweat with some courageous tennis of his own.

Djokovic, bidding for his second title at Roland Garros and 18th Grand Slam, saved four break points in a competitive third set before completing his 71st French Open match win, taking him past Roger Federer into second place behind Nadal who has 96. — Reuters

Rivers announced as 76ers’ coach

JUST days after being fired by the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers was introduced as the new head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Terms were not announced, but ESPN reported Thursday it was a five-year deal.

“We are thrilled to welcome Doc Rivers to Philadelphia as the new head coach of the 76ers. Doc is one of the most respected and accomplished head coaches in the NBA,” 76ers general manager Elton Brand said in a statement.

“I believe Doc can help us unlock our full potential on the floor and further our pursuit of an NBA championship. I also respect and appreciate that his impact extends far beyond the basketball court as he truly embraces the platform he has to drive positive change in society. Doc is a great fit for our team and city, and I’m excited for what the future holds with him as our head coach.”

Rivers interviewed with Brand on Wednesday afternoon before meeting with the team’s ownership that night. Rivers reportedly watched Wednesday night’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers with the Sixers’ brass.

Rivers was dismissed by the Clippers on Monday, 13 days after the Denver Nuggets overcame a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Clippers from the NBA playoffs.

Rivers, who turns 59 on Oct. 13, has a 943-681 record in 21 seasons as an NBA coach. The victories rank 11th all-time. He also won the 2008 NBA title with the Boston Celtics and was voted the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2000 while in charge of the Orlando Magic.

Rivers also experienced some low moments on the way to a 91-89 playoff coaching mark. He was already the only coach in NBA history to blow two 3-1 series leads, and he now has a third such failure on his resume.

The 76ers fired coach Brett Brown on Aug. 24 after seven seasons following their first-round playoff sweep by the Celtics. Brown finished his tenure in Philly with a 221-344 record, plus a 12-14 mark in the postseason.

Former Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue were believed to be under consideration for the head-coaching position in Philadelphia. — Reuters

Banged-up Heat remain defiant despite 2-0 deficit

DOWN 0-2 and expecting to be without two key starters, the Miami Heat remain defiant as they look to Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the NBA bubble near Orlando.

“We don’t give a s— what everybody else thinks,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said in the aftermath of the 124-114 Game 2 loss Friday. “What will it take? Whatever is necessary. Simple as that. If you want something badly enough, you’ll figure it out. Our group is stubborn and persistent, and we just need to figure out how to overcome this opponent.”

Without Bam Adebayo (neck) and Goran Dragic (foot) on Friday, Miami showed grit in avoiding being blown out the way Game 1 unfolded, when the Heat trailed by as many as 32 points. Jimmy Butler led the way with 25 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in playing 45 minutes, and Kelly Olynyk was a surprise off the bench with 24 points and nine rebounds.

The Heat may need that again and more Sunday as Adebayo and Dragic — two of the team’s top three scorers these playoffs — are both listed as doubtful.

“We’re never giving up,” said Butler. “We’re going to fight, and we’re going to ride with this thing ‘til the wheels fall off. It’s not over. We’re just down 0-2; we got to do something special.”

For the Lakers, the key is doing more of the same.

Los Angeles has been dominant the first two games, outscoring and outrebounding Miami. The Western Conference champs have been potent both in the paint and from long range, and they show little sign of slowing down with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way.

“Those guys are playing at an extremely high level, and hopefully we can get two more wins,” said coach Frank Vogel.

Davis is averaging 33 points and 11.5 rebounds through the first two games, and James is just behind at 29 and 11. The dynamic duo has elicited comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, who combined to win three consecutive championships for the Lakers from 2000-02.

“To be in the conversation with those two guys, myself and AD, is just very humbling, because I grew up watching those guys,” James said. “… It’s very humbling that we can be even mentioned with those greats.”

Prior to the Finals, the Heat hadn’t lost two consecutive games all postseason. Miami entered the series 12-3 after powering through the Eastern Conference.

The last time a team came back from 0-2 to win the Finals was in 2016, when James’ Cleveland Cavaliers accomplished the feat against the Golden State Warriors. As such, Los Angeles isn’t ruling out Miami yet.

“Until we win four games, we haven’t accomplished our goal,” Lakers guard Alex Caruso said. “It’s been over a year together, and we’ve talked about the same goal from Day 1. We’re still here chasing that same goal. Until we get four wins, we’re staying hungry.” — Reuters

NBA players expected to miss Tokyo Olympics

THE COVID-19 pandemic played havoc with the National basketball Association (NBA) in 2020, and commissioner Adam Silver said late Friday the league is expecting NBA players to not participate in next year’s Olympic Games at Tokyo.

With the start of the next NBA season postponed until at least starting January, a full schedule and playoffs would not be completed by the time the postponed Tokyo Olympics begin in July. The Games originally were scheduled for this summer but were pushed back a year because of the pandemic. In normal years, the Olympics take place during the NBA’s offseason.

“I think it’s unlikely, at the end of the day, that, if we start late, we would stop for the Olympics,” Silver said after Game 2 of the NBA Finals. “Because, as you know, it’s not just a function of stopping for the period in which they are competing over in Tokyo. But they require training camp, and then they require rest afterwards.”

NBA players have been participating in international tournaments since rules changed in 1989. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the USA “Dream Team” dominated the competition. The United States has won every gold medal since, except for the 2004 Athens Games when Argentina won and the USA was left with a bronze medal.

The lack of NBA players would affect not just the United States. With more than 100 international players on NBA rosters, countries like Australia, France, Spain and even host Japan (Rui Hachimura) would be impacted.

“I’d only say these are such extraordinary circumstances that, even if we set out to plan for the Olympics, how can they even know what the world is going to be like next summer and whether they can go forward?” Silver said. “So I think during these extraordinary times, all the conventional rules are off the table.”

In addition to traditional men’s and women’s basketball set to take place at the Tokyo Olympics, there will also be the debut of a three-on-three half-court event. — Reuters

Djokovic wants line judges replaced by technology

PARIS — Novak Djokovic’s relationship with line officials has been difficult of late and the Serbian risked their wrath again on Saturday when he suggested they were unnecessary.

The 33-year-old world number one was dramatically defaulted in the US Open fourth round after inadvertently hitting a female line judge on the throat with a loose ball.

Now he believes their job should be done by Hawkeye technology.

“With all my respect for the tradition and the culture we have in this sport, when it comes to people present on the court during a match, including line (judges), I really don’t see a reason why every single tournament in this world, in this technological advanced era, would not have what we had during the Cincinnati/New York tournaments,” Djokovic said.

The COVID-19 pandemic meant the majority of courts at the U.S. Open, part from the main show courts, dispensed with line judges as a health precaution.

They are back at the French Open which, because it is on clay, does not use Hawkeye technology for close calls, relying instead on the umpire to examine a mark in the red dust.

While the issue of whether players should be able to challenge via a Hawkeye review at the French Open and other claycourt events, as they do on other surfaces, has been debated all week here, Djokovic appears to want to go further.

“The technology is so advanced right now, there is absolutely no reason why you should keep line umpires on the court. That’s my opinion,” he said.

“Of course, I understand technology is expensive, so it’s an economic issue and a question mark. But I feel like we are all moving towards that, and sooner or later there is no reason to keep line umpires.

“Yes, ball kids? Of course. Ball person? Yes. But line umpires? I don’t see why anymore, to be honest,” he said before adding with a smile “I would also probably then have less chances to do what I did in New York.”

Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 French Open champion, instead believes traditions should be respected.

“They can also have a HawkEye, you know, in clay court. That solves everything. But I feel it’s pretty traditional (now), and I’m a traditional person. I enjoy having, you know, line umpires and chair umpire. And I just like things the old way,” she said.

“You can put a HawkEye (in) and make it more modern, but I appreciate not being a machine on the court. (It would be) even more lonely out there just with us. A speaker that says i

The ATP’s Next Gen tournament has experimented with Hawkeye technology calling the lines using an automated voice rather than having officials on court. — Reuters

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