Thunderbolts’ Charles Garcia Apologizes to Fans, Seeks to Clear Name

It was a tense moment on the court Saturday night, not between players, but between a player and a fan. Belize City Thunderbolts forward Charles Garcia found himself in a heated exchange with Doctor Julio Sabido, the C.E.O. in the Ministry of Health. But on that night, Doctor Sabido wasn’t there in any official role, just a passionate basketball fan in the stands. Things got a little too intense in the final moments of the game, and today, Garcia stopped by our studio to set the record straight. He admitted he regrets how things played out and offered a heartfelt apology to his fans. He also told us he’s reached out to Dr. Sabido, and the two have since cleared the air. Both men acknowledged they could’ve handled things better; one as a player, the other as a fan. And in the end, they agreed to move forward with mutual respect. Here’s what Charles Garcia had to say about the incident and the lessons he’s taking from it.

 

Charles Garcia, Player, Thunderbolts

“First of all basketball is my passion, my job, my life, I have been doing it all my life. I am a passionate player, dedicated to my job and craft. You don’t know what a player is going through behind the scenes, he is supposed to perform. If I feel a fan is heckling which I respect, but then you hit someone with a threatening gesture, I am going to react, I am going to react. I have a lot of regrets. I have an image. I am a father. I have a beautiful daughter and I am a family man. My roots start from here in Belize. So of course, I feel some type of way. I couldn’t sleep, because everyone hitting my phone from states, Belize and it kills me. I have an image. I want to maintain that image. I am a good dude and seeing this, that is not who I am. My mom raised me well. It kills me to have this interview to say my piece because I am not trying to throw anybody under the bus, but I have to clear my name and image. Because now I am walking on the street and everybody is looking at me different. I was walking around comfortable now I am feel uncomfortable because of these reports. I just feel some type of way.”