Court case a ‘setback’, ‘dangerous precedent’ for sports – Cesafi

A SPORTS official warned that the court action initiated by parents of 15-year-old Scott Aying “sets a very dangerous precedent”.

“It has opened the floodgates that will eventually inundate the courts of law. Every question of eligibility and decisions of the Cesafi Board of Trustees now would be subject to judicial review. Thus, it sets a very dangerous precedent,” said Cesafi Commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy Jr. in an affidavit.

“The current suit is highly unfair to athletes who are similarly situated as Mr. Aying. Like him, they failed to meet the residency requirement,” he added.

The commissioner lamented that “Cesafi games have suffered tremendous setbacks as it caused the cancellation and postponement of several games. It underservingly placed Cesafi in a bad light and its rules and regulations are totally disregarded,” he said.

Tiukinhoy said the TRO issued by the court usurped the functions of Cesafi.

The civil case was filed last Sept. 13 by Danilo and Avah Aying who said their son was “unjustly” deprived from playing basketball in the tournament by a wrong interpretation of Cesafi’s two-year residency rule.

Under the rule, “any high school student athlete of a Cesafi member school who transfers to another member school shall be required a minimum of two-year residence to qualify to play. The period of residency shall be counted as part of his/her playing years.”/Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol