FAR Eastern University's women's basketball team expects to have most of its wins forfeited after one of its members was found to have played in another league while the UAAP season is ongoing, but is not giving up hope of retaining its championship.
Anton Montinola, the school’s representative to the UAAP board, said the Lady Tamaraws' Vangie Soriano has admitted to school officials that she had played in a commercial league during the season - a violation that could cause the forfeiture of all the games she played in this season.
The Lady Tamaraws are currently in first place with an 11-1 win-loss card.
“Apparently, she played one game in a championship game of some league which happened after the start of the UAAP that we didn’t know. She admitted, but it’s okay,” Montinola said.
The UAAP board has not officially meted a sanction on the Lady Tamaraws, but Montinola said they are expecting most of their wins to be forfeited.
“A lot,” said Montinola when asked how many games he expects the team to forfeit.
Still, Montinola said there are still enough games remaining for the Lady Tamaraws to make up for the forfeited games and make the Final Four.
“Fortunately, we have enough games to win in order to reach fourth place. So we still have a chance.”
Montinola said the school will respect the sanction the UAAP board will slap on FEU during the league’s regular board meeting on September 9.
“Her admission to us is good enough,” said Montinola
In 2011, the UAAP board also decided to forfeit several wins after four volleyball players were found to have played in a so-called ‘ligang labas’ in Carmela Garbin and Clarisse Yeung of La Salle, Lorraine Chua of University of the Philippines, and University of the East’s Alyssa Paril.
All four played in the tournament called the Viking’s Cup.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph