Eligibility - GPRC Basketball - Wynand Nel |
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Eligibility Ruling
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2011-12 SeasonJuly 18, 2011 Facts: I received a request from Wynand Nel, a former GPRC athlete, to have one year of eligibility returned in relation to two seasons in which he played for the GPRC Men’s Basketball team. The seasons in question are 2006-07 and 2007-08. Mr. Nel played in 7 games during 2006-07 (he joined the team for the second half of the season after receiving Landed Immigrant status) and in 13 games during the 2007-08 season. Mr. Nel’s position is that he mostly sat the bench and did not often play while a member of the GPRC team, both because of his status as a younger member of the team and due to a series of ankle sprains. He asks for the return of one year of eligibility due to the small number of games in which he actually participated so that he can use that eligibility at the University of Alberta, as a member of the Track team. Ruling: It has been long established in the ACAC that inclusion on a game sheet constitutes an athlete having played in the game in question. To rule otherwise would prove unwieldy, as it would involve an analysis after the fact of a particular player’s importance over the outcome of the game, an analysis that does not provide the necessary certainty. Therefore, Mr. Nel is deemed to have played in the number of games listed above during the two seasons in question. I have reviewed the ACAC Operating Code and I can find no provisions that would allow me to return one season of eligibility to Mr. Nel. Article I Section 5 Rule 1.3.5 allows for the return of eligibility in the case of a season ending injury. However, that is not the case here and there are no other provisions that allow for the return of eligibility for a player who simply did not play a great deal during his time in the ACAC. Based on the above, Mr. Nel’s request to have one year of eligibility reinstated is denied.
Bill Hendsbee |