At A Glance
- The UAAP has given the green light of allowing each team to insert two foreign student-athletes (FSAs) in Season 89, executive director Rebo Saguisag said during the league's press conference Monday, Sept. 15.
(UAAP Media)
The UAAP has given the green light of allowing each team to insert two foreign student-athletes (FSAs) in Season 89, executive director Rebo Saguisag said during the league's press conference Monday, Sept. 15.
But there's a catch.
“For all sports, teams can have two foreign student-athletes in their pool,” Saguisag stressed. “But there’s only one [player] who can be part of the active roster, the other one would be on the reserve list."
According to Saguisag, the new rule was approved this year and it will be applied in the next edition.
It can be recalled the National University men’s basketball team suffered a big blow after its lone FSA Mo Diassana had a season-ending injury in the Bulldogs’ first game in Season 87 against De La Salle University.
"This way, in cases of injuries, like what NU went through with Mo Diassana last season, there’s someone ready to step in,” Saguisag continued.
Meanwhile, UAAP will be reintroducing the Mythical or All-UAAP Team as Elite Team starting this season. These changes will be enforced to both individual and team sports such as basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, softball, athletics, swimming, chess, and martial arts disciplines taekwondo, judo, and fencing.
“We took inspiration from international bodies like FIBA’s All-Star Five or the FIVB’s Dream Team. The word 'Elite' reflects how these players represent the cream of the crop across all amateur sports,” said Saguisag.
In individual disciplines such as athletics, swimming, chess, and martial arts – including taekwondo, judo, and fencing – champions for each sport will be part of the Elite Team.