NCAA sticks with ban on foreign recruits

MANILA, Philippines — It may take long before the National Collegiate Athletic Association reopens its doors to foreign players.

NCAA management committee chairman Fr. Vic Calvo, OP, of host Letran yesterday said majority of the member schools remain firm in banning imports for Season 96.

“As of the moment, majority of the NCAA schools agreed that (having imports) has done more harm than good,” said Calvo in yesterday’s online PSA Forum.

Therefore, he said, it’s not likely that the country’s oldest collegiate league will let the imports in even if there are future calls to the contrary.

The league official said it would be a tedious process for any school to make a recommendation and try to convince the majority – six of the 10 members.

Still, Fr. Calvo said nothing is impossible.

“The NCAA has always been dynamic. Anything can happen. The NCAA is a collegial body and it’s a democratic association,” he said in the forum also graced by former Mancom head Peter Cayco of Arellano University.

In contrast, the UAAP and other college-level leagues in the country continue to allow foreign players enrolled in their respective schools, colleges or universities.

The first call to ban foreign players in the NCAA came in 2011, and recruitment stopped in 2014. Last year marked the last playing year for eligible imports in the NCAA.

The NCAA also said during yesterday’s webcast presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant, PAGCOR and Smart that it may still consider staging more than four sports next season.

The NCAA earlier said only mandatory sports like basketball, volleyball, athletics and swimming will be played whether the next season begins late this year or early next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those now being considered for inclusion in the calendar are badminton, chess, table tennis, lawn tennis, online chess and Esports, which made its debut in the SEA Games last year.

Due to the deadly pandemic, the NCAA cut short its previous season with sports that are normally played during the second semester being cancelled.

As a result, the NCAA did not hand out a trophy for the overall champion.