WIAA backs game officials, tells schools to stop appealing to courts

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association called on schools to stop appealing officials’ decisions to the court system.

In a statement, WIAA executive director Stephanie Hauser said that appealing decisions made by onsite officials undermines the rules agreed on by WIAA member schools.

“Our organization has bylaws, policies, and structures for handling grievances,” Hauser said. “When our membership chooses to circumvent these procedures, all that has been built by the membership over the years gets undermined.”

The following letter was sent to all WIAA member schools this afternoon regarding recent events within the boys’ basketball tournament series. pic.twitter.com/YnoNjin6Pp

— WIAA (@wiaawi) March 14, 2022

The statement comes after an incident during the boys’ basketball tournament that led to St. Thomas More High School appealing a decision that expelled them from the tournament. Last fall, Edgewood fought a court battle with the WIAA, after they were removed from the state football tournament over fielding an ineligible player.

RELATED: Edgewood files suit against WIAA over tournament removal, disputes ruling that player was ineligible

The WIAA asked the member schools to continue to support student-athlete participation.

COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.