B.E.B.L. in the Throes of Another Player Controversy

It is déjà vu for fans of the Belize Elite Basketball League. The semi-pro basketball league has once again found itself in the throes of another controversy. The Orange Walk Running Rebels have withdrawn from the 2024 B.E.B.L. season. The organization wrote to the league commissioner on Wednesday announcing its withdrawal. The Running Rebels, a team that is currently standing in sixth place for this season, provided a list of seven reasons for its withdrawal. Their letter took shots at team owners, officials and the league commissioner Glenn Gill.  The team’s ownership contends that there are major deficiencies in the league and called on Commissioner Gill to resign from his post. With the Running Rebels now out of the 2024 season, only six teams remain. And Gill says he has nowhere to go, because he is backed by the confidence of all remaining team owners. We spoke with him today.

 

Glenn Gill, Commissioner, B.E.B.L.

“The first unfortunate situation occurred when there was supposed to be a deal between a company and the league, and the owners voted against it. I think that is where everything started to go downhill, and then the signing of this player, the nonattendance of meetings, the expression to the other owners that they are out.

Like in any organization there will be some turmoil whether it is self-imposed or not. You would imagine that as the owners of a company you would sit with your teammates, you would sit with your other members and discuss whatever problem there is and come to a solution that would satisfy everybody.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Is it your view that the Orange Walk Rebel’s management was reluctant to sit down and have a rational discussion over the issues they raised?”

 

Glenn Gill

“Definitely so?”

 

Paul Lopez

“How does the league recover from this and do you see this affecting the remainder of the season.”

 

Glenn Gill

“As I said, when this whole thing start explode, I was taken a back thinking I was helping a situation and it turned into something I didn’t expect it to turn into any at all. But yes, this is a black eye for the league, and we didn’t expect it. But the only thing we can do from here is pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and try.”