THE UAAP has finally cleared up rules on suspensions with regards to where banned coaches and players are allowed to go during games after a controversy involving Ateneo coach Bo Perasol last season.
The league, sources said, has amended its rules and from hereon will no longer allow suspended players, coaches, and team staff to be in the venue during games at the time of their ban.
Previously, the collegiate league barred suspended coaches from the venue of the games and banned players "from the immediate vicinity," a term which many believed was open to different interpretations.
The rule change was prompted by an incident last season when Perasol was spotted somewhere at the Mall of Asia Arena while serving out a suspension for Ateneo's game against the University of the East.
The Red Warriors later filed a complaint, saying Perasol violated the terms of his suspension and merits a forfeiture of the game which the Blue Eagles won.
The Blue Eagles countered by saying that UE also violated the same UAAP rule when Ralf Olivares, who was also serving a similar one-game ban, was seen seated at the back of the Warriors bench.
Ateneo also cited several other cases where suspended players of different teams were spotted near their benches, some of whom were even caught by television cameras.
In the end, the UAAP board ordered Perasol to re-serve his one-game suspension in the Blue Eagles’ next outing with no forfeitures handed to the team.
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