MANILA, Philippines – After years of debates on the prospect of mandating an all-Filipino collegiate league, the NCAA has decided to ban foreign players from all sports by Season 96 beginning 2020, whether they have remaining playing years or not.

“We discussed that also [in the] policy board and we decided [that] the players are only good [until] Season 95, which is next year, and after that wala na (no more),” said NCAA Management Committee chairman Frank Gusi.

With the new rule, the NCAA will be able to clear out all possibilities for imports to dominate awards in all its sports. In Season 92, Jio Jalalon was the only homegrown player who made it to the Mythical 5 which included imports Bright Akhuetie, Donald Tankoua, Hamadou Laminou, and NCAA two-time MVP Allwell Oraeme.

According to Dusi, the NCAA tried to rule out imports’ participation in Season 90, but it gave way to those who had already enrolled in their schools two seasons prior.

“Actually dati, meron nang policy board na [nagsabi na] Season 90 stop tayo, pero ‘yung una nag-enroll [before Season 90],” said Gusi.

(The policy board actually tried to stop the imports from playing in Season 90, but there were those who enrolled before Season 90.)

“This year, we decided whether you have playing years or not, stop ka na sa (Season) 95 (you’ll only have until Season 95),” he added.

However, Filipino-foreigners will still be allowed to participate in the league.

“Okay ‘yun. Basta may dugo kang Filipino, your mother or your father is a Filipino,” Gusi said.

(That’s okay. As long as you have Filipino blood, your mother or your father is a Filipino.) – Rappler.com