SPORTS HOLD A significant place in shaping the Bedan identity. Much of it is evident in the fact that it is nearly impossible to discuss San Beda without highlighting its numerous achievements in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and beyond. However, behind this celebrated winning culture lies harsh realities that are often overlooked and disregarded.
In just half a year, two troubling stories involving our Bedan athletes and key groups in our sports community have surfaced, casting a harsh light on the irregularities within the Lion’s Den.
“…they reflect a pattern of oversight that questions the University’s commitment to its athletes’ well-being and fair treatment.”
Last September, The Bedan released a story about the San Beda University (SBU) Band, outlining the details of their suspension from performing at NCAA games.
A few minutes was all it took for the story to attract widespread criticism. Subsequently enraged, the Bedan community echoed their sentiments through the #LetSBUBandPlay movement, calling for the immediate reinstatement of the embattled organization.
While the issue was eventually resolved after public pressure, with the reason for the suspension reduced to a mere “miscommunication” between two parties, it seemed that the less-than-ideal conclusion to this saga would prompt the University better to handle the situation and the grievances of our student-athletes.
To no one’s surprise, we were wrong.
Amid the Yuletide season festivities, the publication, learning about the issue in the months prior, once again released a long-overdue story about the struggles of former San Beda Men’s Volleyball Team (Red Spikers) players, who came forward to voice their complaints against the program’s current Head Coach in matters concerning their “unwarranted” removal from the roster, the alleged mismanagement of their scholarships, and the “mistreatment” and misconduct they experienced under their tutelage.
Unfortunately, there has been little to no significant recourse or reconciliation in the situation, leaving the former student-athletes without any opportunities to represent the University they once gave their all for.
In light of these controversies, one could not help but reflect on a thought: for an institution that takes pride in its athletic excellence, isn’t it uncharacteristic to undermine the very Bedan athletes who contributed to achieving that excellence in the first place?
The uproar after the SBU Band’s suspension and the uncertain fate of the former Red Spikers who fearlessly chose to call out the injustices they are subject to exemplify the broader issues of transparency and accountability within the Lion’s Den.
Moreover, these are not isolated incidents. Rather, they reflect a pattern of oversight that questions the University’s commitment to its athletes’ well-being and fair treatment. If the University continues to cast aside these bitter truths—matters that require dire attention—do we deserve to take pride in the feats of our student-athletes?
Unless these deeper systemic issues are addressed, they risk undermining the institution’s achievements and failing to create a supportive and equitable environment for student-athletes—one that should have been a cornerstone of our sports programs from the start.
Email me at thebedan_associateeditor@sanbeda.edu.ph