Thursday, September 18, 2008

PROPER SCHEDULING TO RESOLVE CESAFI-ABOITIZ ROW--MAXIMO


Courtesy of Cebu Daily Newspaper (http://www.inquirer.net/)
Thursday, September 18, 2008 issue
By Jonas Panerio, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

Former Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) president and Cesafi football tournament manager Jonathan “Maxi” Maximo believes the banning of varsity players from competing in the upcoming Aboitiz Cup is a non-issue as this can be easily worked out with proper scheduling.

The Aboitiz Cup is scheduled to start on Sept. 27 while the Cesafi football tournament follows a week after, on October 4, thus the overlapping schedule.

Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy has reiterated the board's decision to keep their players from competing in the Aboitiz Cup to make sure that they are healthy enough to represent their respective schools.

Maximo, who has served as CebuFA president from 2003 until last year, and has handled the Cesafi tournament in 2004, 2005 and 2007, was surprised to know that the issue made headlines these days since the rule was implemented years back although some parties opted to just work around it.

“We cannot blame the Cesafi and their member schools because they provide the players with the education through their scholarships. It would be just prudent to just work around the Cesafi schedule,” said Maximo.

He added that since the Cesafi ruling would only affect some players in the Boys 17 and Men's Open divisions, the Aboitiz Cup organizers can opt to schedule their games in said divisions, after the Cesafi tournament.

Regarding rumors that CebuFA will not permit its referees to officiate the Cesafi games if the Cesafi refuses to change its stand, Maximo believes that will not likely to happen.

“We cannot afford to have any animosity since we need to have more football tournaments. I will sit down with CebuFA to suggest how to avoid conflicts with the Cesafi and others like the City Olympics, PRISAA, Palaro, etc. Also, I will have the Cesafi tournament to be sanctioned by CebuFA as a sign of courtesy. We will tap their referees so that everybody will have a role,” added Maximo.

Also, the CebuFA through its president Richard Montayre has expressed its desire to work with the Cesafi in order to properly coordinate it into its schedule of activities.

“All football activities must be sanctioned by the provincial association to properly promote the sport and develop better relations with the different organizing bodies involving football and the provincial football association. We are requesting your good office for the possibility of working hand in hand with the Cebu FA in the organization of the different football competitions, which are organized by your office. This will ensure that such football activities will be included in the yearly calendar of the football association and this will also prevent overlapping of schedules. Furthermore, your football activities will have proper sanctioning and monitoring so that if needed, disciplinary measures will be given and stipulated by its bylaws,” said Montayre in a letter sent to the Cesafi office.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

CESAFI RULE BARS COLLEGE TEAMS FROM ABOITIZ CUP


Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)
Saturday, September 13, 2008 issue
by Edri K. Aznar, Staff Reporter
Mike Limpag, Sports Editor

PROHIBITION of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) athletes to join other tournaments will be strictly implemented this year by its President Felix Tiukinhoy and not a single Cesafi athlete is exempted from this rule, including the football players.

“I made it clear with the football coaches in our last meeting that since it’s Cesafi season there no varsity player can play in any other tournament when the Cesafi tournament is still ongoing,” Tiukinhoy told Sun.Star Cebu.

“They can join other tournaments after the season ends,” he added.

Due to this rule, a lot of football teams may be absent in what would be the biggest football event in the Cebuano football scene for this year—the revitalized Aboitiz Cup set later this month.

Members

The football teams that can miss out on the Aboitiz Cup are the University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of San Carlos, University of Southern Philippines-Foundation, University of Cebu, University of the Visayas and Don Bosco College because all of these teams are members of the Cesafi.

According to Tiukinhoy any Cesafi player caught playing in other tournaments will barred from the Cesafi tournament for the rest of the season.

Earlier in the Cesafi season Tiukinhoy banned five Southwestern University basketball players after being caught playing in a tournament aside from Cesafi.

Schedule

Meanwhile, the schedule of the Cesafi football games are still uncertain but Tiukinhoy assured that the games will start a soon as possible after Tournament Director and former Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo secures the venue, which will still be at the USC-TC football grounds.

“We are just waiting for the commitment of the venue. Once we get the venue then the schedules will be ready,” said Tiukinhoy. (EKA)