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.