UAAP Hands Indefinite Ban on Aldin Ayo

The verdict has been given and Aldin Ayo won't be able to coach or even watch any University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) events after the league handed down an indefinite ban on the Season 80 champion coach.

In a statement released Wednesday, the league stated, "After a thorough deliberation, the UAAP Board of Trustees (BOT) ratified the decision of the Board of Managing Directors (BMD) to ban Coach Aldin Ayo indefinitely from participating, in any capacity, in all UAAP events and UAAP-sanctioned activities" The decision by the league "was based on the University of Santo Tomas (UST) report that showed Ayo endangering the health and well-being of the student-athletes under his charge when he conducted the training during a government-declared state of public emergency intended to arrest the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak"

Aldin Ayo and the UST Growling Tigers got caught in the heat after the team allegedly held a "bubble" training in Ayo's hometown in Capuy, Sorsogon which was revealed after former team captain CJ Cansino was abruptly removed from the team for what they call as "defiance of authority". Cansino made the jump to the University of the Philippines while other former UST players followed suit by leaving Espana for other teams with the latest being Rhenz Abando transferring to Letran in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The UAAP statement added "The UAAP notes that the Commission on Higher Education will conduct an investigation on possible violations by UST and other individuals who may also be liable in the conduct of the activity. The association will follow these developments before discussing their next action on the case"

One thing is certain for now: the bubble trouble of UST is not yet over.

Photo is from Rappler