Eligibility - RDC Basketball - McEwen |
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Eligibility Ruling
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2011-12March 5, 2012Facts: Larry McEwen played in six (6) games during the 2011-12 season as a member of the RDC Men’s Basketball team before injuries ended his season. Mr. McEwen now seeks a ruling that he has not used one year of eligibility in relation to his participation this season. Ruling: Article I Section 5 Rule 1.3.5 of the ACAC Operating Code states as follows: A student-athlete who suffers a season-ending injury limiting his/her participation to no more than 30 percent of his/her league schedule, as documented by letter from the attending physician, physiotherapist, or chiropractor, and by letter from the Athletic Director(s) of the institution(s) concerned, shall be regarded as not having played in that year. I have been provided with a letter from RDC, as required by Rule 1.3.5, along with a letter from Mr. McEwen’s physician, confirming that he sustained season ending injuries. Rule 1.3.5 requires an athlete to have competed in no more than 30% of his or her league schedule in order for the Commissioner to find that there has been a season ending injury. In this case, RDC’s schedule was eighteen (18) games in total, which means that Mr. McEwen participated in 33% of his team’s schedule. RDC suggests that I reference the fact that the North Division schedule is twenty (20) games. Therefore, if Mr. McEwen was a member of a North Division team he would have only played 30% of his team’s schedule, thereby satisfying the above rule. In my opinion, the wording of Rule 1.3.5 is quite clear. In order to satisfy the rule, Mr. McEwen has to satisfy the requirement that he had not played in more than 30% of his league schedule. His league schedule was eighteen (18) games, which is the reference point for calculating the percentage of games played. In my opinion, Rule 1.3.5 does not give me the discretion to reference what might have been the case had Mr. McEwen played for a North Division team. Based on the above, Mr. McEwen is deemed to have used a year of eligibility in relation to the 2011-12 season. Sincerely, Bill Hendsbee
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