The narrow 82-81 loss by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers to the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 88 Final Four was a heartbreak for the UST faithful. But the aftermath has revealed a darker, more disturbing trend in Philippine collegiate sports: the swift and venomous spread of baseless gambling accusations directed at players who underperform.
Rookie big man Collins Akowe, who finished the crucial knockout game with 11 points on 4-for-12 shooting, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks, became the immediate scapegoat. While his performance may have been "subpar" for his usual standards, the criticism quickly devolved into toxic speculation on social media. Irate commenters, fueled by the sting of defeat, brazenly floated the notion that the interior anchor had deliberately underperformed—with some even using the damning Tagalog term "benta" (sold) to imply game-fixing.
The Rise of Gambling and Player Pressure
The rush to accuse a young student-athlete of intentionally throwing a Final Four game—a career-defining moment—is symptomatic of a worrying shift in the sports landscape driven by the proliferation of betting.
As the sports gambling culture continues to grow in popularity in the country, expect more fans to pressure players and teams in this destructive way.
Accessibility Fuels Addiction: The Philippines has seen an alarming surge in online gambling participation, with college students and young adults frequently engaging with easily accessible betting apps.
2 This3 $24/7$ availability removes barriers to entry and links the emotional investment in a game directly to personal financial outcomes.4 Baseless Accusations Become the New Criticism: When a fan loses money on a bet tied to a team's final score or a specific player's "prop bet" (e.g., Akowe to hit the over on points/rebounds), the natural frustration is immediately directed at the individual athlete. Instead of legitimate criticism, this anger metastasizes into accusations of game manipulation or "point shaving" (a well-documented historical issue in US collegiate sports).
5 A Target on Their Backs: The NCAA in the US has actively lobbied to ban prop bets specifically because they put a "target on their backs" for young athletes, triggering increased online harassment from losing bettors.
6 In the Philippines, without robust regulation or safeguards, every missed free throw or uncharacteristic turnover by a star player in a high-stakes game now carries the immediate risk of an accusation that threatens their integrity and mental health.
The vitriol aimed at Akowe—an $18$-year-old who delivered a double-double in a Final Four game—is unacceptable. Comparing him to historical figures associated with alleged game-fixing is not only reckless but ignores the psychological toll this abuse takes on student-athletes.
The incident is a severe warning: The passion of the Filipino basketball fan is now being dangerously weaponized by the gambling culture. The UAAP and its member schools must proactively address this environment to protect the integrity of the game and the well-being of the young men who play it.
Related Article: UAAP Controversy: FEU superstar is a deserving MVP?
Comments
Post a Comment