THE UAAP board said on Friday it didn’t order a boycott of the ongoing swimming competitions at the Trace Aquatics Center in Los Baños, Laguna, saying the move to skip events where University of Philippines' Mikee Bartolome is entered was a decision made by the schools themselves.
The UAAP came out with the statement in light of the decision of some member schools not to pit swimmers against UP rookie Bartolome, who entered the competitions on the strength of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the league's new residency rules.
The league said it believes the boycott was a "sign of protest" done by the schools.
“The UAAP board did not order such, nor did it instigate the move,” said the league in the statement. “The board in general deemed it as the schools’ decision, perhaps as a sign of personal indignation or protest.”
The league added: “Adamson University, the season host, in particular, would not instigate any protest. The Soaring Falcons only have one female entry in the swimming competitions.”
The UAAP also reiterated its earlier stand to respect the court’s decision.
“The UAAP board’s decision to heed the court order was unanimously agreed upon by its members during an emergency meeting on Thursday,” the league said.
The league, however, maintained its stand that the TRO only leads to a ‘return to status-quo,' meaning Bartolome is still governed by the old rule requiring a one-year residency for transferees and therefore is still ineligible to compete for UP this season.
The UAAP cited the case of Bartolome’s elder sister, who also went through a one-year residency when she transferred to UP.
“The court order was specific on the “two-year” rule which was imposed only this Season 76, and not on the previously accepted “one-year” rule. It would be worse for the UAAP if it also lifts the long accepted one-year rule,” the league said.
“In Bartolome’s case, she, like all other freshman transferees before her, must undergo the one-year residency before she could swim for UP. Bartolome’s elder sister served a one-year residency before she could eventually compete for the Fighting Maroons.”
The full statement is as follows:
The UAAP Board remains respectful of a court order against the imposition of the “two-year residency rule” for fresh high school graduates who transfer from one member school to another.
The board is doing so in the case of University of the Philippines (UP) freshman Anna Dominique “Mikee” Bartolome, a swimmer from UST high school, whose father brought his daughter’s case to court and earned a temporary restraining order and eventually an order preventing the UAAP from imposing the two-year residency rule.
As a result of the court order, the UAAP has no recourse but to heed and revert to the previous rule which has been imposed for decades. The old rule requires a freshman student-athlete who transfers from one UAAP school to another to complete one year of residency.
The court order was specific on the “two-year” rule which was imposed only this Season 76, and not on the previously accepted “one-year” rule. It would be worse for the UAAP if it also lifts the long accepted one-year rule.
In Bartolome’s case, she, like all other freshman transferees before her, must undergo the one-year residency before she could swim for UP. Bartolome’s elder sister served a one-year residency before she could eventually compete for the Fighting Maroons.
On the “boycott” of swimmers in events Bartolome competed or will compete in, the UAAP Board did not order such, nor did it instigate the move. The board in general deemed it as the schools’ decision, perhaps as a sign of personal indignation or protest.
Adamson University, the season host, in particular, would not instigate any protest. The Soaring Falcons only have one female entry in the swimming competitions.
The UAAP Board’s decision to heed the court order was unanimously agreed upon by its members during an emergency meeting on Thursday (September 19).
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