Sen. Pia Cayetano slams UAAP Board for barring Ateneo athlete from playing


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Senator Pia Cayetano on Tue, Aug 18, lashed out at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Board for its “arrogance and immaturity” following their decision to bar Ateneo de Manila University’s Hubert Cani from playing in the Season 78 men’s basketball tournament.

The UAAP Board confirmed on Mon, Aug 17, that Cani still cannot play for the Blue Eagles despite serving one year of residency, and despite the passage of the Student-Athletes Protection Act earlier this year.

The UAAP Board argued that the law cannot be applied retroactively, and thus, Cani is still covered by the controversial two-year residency rule.

“The UAAP Board has once more displayed its arrogance and immaturity by invoking its unjust two-year residency rule against a high school student-athlete who has transferred to a different school in college,” Cayetano said in a statement.

“This is the very same UAAP rule that an RTC court struck down two years ago in favor of swimmer Mikee Bartolome. In the case of basketball player Hubert Cani, he has even served ONE YEAR of RESIDENCE already and was hoping to play this season,” she added.

Cayetano stressed that it is irrelevant that the bill has yet to be signed by President Benigno Aquino III.

“The UAAP must respect a student-athlete’s right to study and play for the school of his choice. The UAAP is not a commercial but an amateur league. The UAAP Board should stop treating student-athletes like commodities,” she also said.

Meanwhile, also barred from playing in Season 78 is De La Salle University’s Ben Mbala, who was found to have violated the league’s rules on residency, and University of the East’s Dan Alberto, who has maxed out his collegiate playing years.

Photo: Sen. Pia Cayetano’s website

This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.



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