Where is command responsibility?

So the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has finally rendered its verdict on the Dipaculao tragedy that claimed the lives of Ateneo men’s basketball team players Rene “Bobet” Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

And after reading the UAAP Board’s decision, I cannot help but ask: Where is Ateneo’s accountability?

The UAAP has perpetually banned Tab Baldwin from all competitions and related activities, in any coaching, administrative, advisory or official capacity. He is even prohibited from entering UAAP competition venues.

The team manager, assistant coaches and physical therapist who were present during the ill-fated team-building activity have also been suspended from UAAP participation indefinitely, although their sanctions are appealable.

Fair enough.

But what about Ateneo?

The UAAP decision says the Board “has required Ateneo de Manila University to undertake a comprehensive reassessment of the organizational structure and management of its men’s basketball team and athletics program, supposedly to strengthen student-athlete protection, welfare, accountability and institutional oversight.”

That sounds good.

But isn’t that something Ateneo should have been doing anyway?

The two young men who died were not simply Baldwin’s players. They were Ateneo student-athletes, wearing the “Ateneo” or “ADMU” name on their jerseys and representing the university.

So whatever happened to command responsibility?

I agree that the surviving Ateneo players are victims as well and should not be punished for something they had no control over. I also believe Ateneo’s athletes in other UAAP sports disciplines should not be made to suffer because of what happened to the men’s basketball team.

But there has to be a way for the UAAP to hold its member institution accountable without punishing innocent student-athletes.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has already imposed fines related to the absence of the required work permits — P4.9 million against Baldwin for failing to secure an Alien Employment Permit and another P4.9 million for failing to obtain a certificate of exemption, while Ateneo was fined P4.9 million. That is within DoLE’s mandate.

But the UAAP is different.

The UAAP is supposed to be looking after the welfare of the student-athletes who compete under its umbrella.

And yet, in this case, it appears that the individuals have been sanctioned while the institution that ultimately carries the responsibility for its program gets what amounts to a directive to reassess itself.

Was this a business decision as I heard from a reliable source?

Was the UAAP afraid of the consequences of suspending one of its biggest member schools?

I don’t know.

What I do know is that I agree with allowing the Ateneo players to compete in Season 89. They should not pay for the sins of those who were responsible for their safety.

But perhaps there is another way.

Let them play — but not as Ateneo.

For one season, let them compete as the Team Bobet-Divine Blue Eagles.

The players can continue playing. Ateneo’s other athletes remain unaffected. But the university, as an institution, carries a symbolic sanction for the tragedy.

We have seen athletes compete internationally without representing their country because of wars, political upheavals or sanctions.

Why can’t the UAAP do something similar?

The UAAP says its sanctions are meant to be “protective and restorative.”

Then let them be both.

Allow the players to play. But make Ateneo answer for what happened.

That, to me, is accountability.