Banned

Sporting competitions should be governed by rules, because the lack of such could lead to chaos if not big trouble.

Many times in my career as a sportswriter that is now more than two decades long and in the many years I spent competing in various sporting events that I have come across incidents where incidents have to be dealt with by the book no matter how harsh the outcome would be.

I learned about the recent decision of the Cebu Football Association to ban Paref-Springdale and their coach Mario Ceniza from its sanctioned events for three years.The ban also covers events of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).

According to the report, the CFA banned the school and Ceniza for pulling out of the Aboitiz Cup.The reason for the pull out was when Springdale was declared to have forfeited their game against Blessed John XXIII Seminary despite the players already being at the gate when the whistle was blown.

Both teams played at the Sinulog Cup Football Festival prior to their scheduled match, but Blessed John arrived ahead of Springdale and had its team on the field.

A disappointed Springdale pulled out of the tournament and the result is the three-year ban.

I am not familiar with the rules and regulations of the CFA, but for such act I think the three-year ban is very harsh and would practically kill the excellent football program of Springdale.

For those who do not know what is going on in Cebu football politics, the CFA and the Cebu Amateur Football Club, which organized the Sinulog Cup for the Cebu City Sports Commission, are not in the best of terms.

If this stiff penalty imposed on Springdale and Ceniza is nothing personal, then maybe it’s political?

Sports leaders should not play politics, because in the end it is the game that we love, which suffers the most.

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One sport where playing in accordance with the rules is always put to the test is golf.

Many non-golfers think the sport is stupid for the reason that you hit a ball, look for it, hit it again, and repeat the process until you hole out.Then you proceed to the next hole to do it again.

What they don’t know is how much you need to know to make that ball fly or roll it into the cup via a line that is most often not straight.

When you commit an infraction of the rules of golf, you are supposed to penalize yourself even if nobody saw you.This is the reason why it is also referred to as a “gentleman’s game.”

Many who failed to follow the rules have suffered consequences beyond their playing years.Some have even taken it to their graves.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings go to Auntie Babie Cotejo-Iway, Junrey Nadela, Liberty Pinili, Arnel Ceriola, Charrie Liaz, and Armando Gaviola, who are celebrating today.

Advance greetings to those turning a year older tomorrow like Alta Vista’s Thelma Canonigo-Maxilom, Hazel Jane Kiunisala, Ligaya Padere, and my cousin Abdul Wahid Nebres.

More power to all of you!