UPDATE: According to CNN, a Florida judge has temporarily barred the Florida High School Athletics Association from disqualifying guard Brian Delancy, and his team, because of his immigration status. Krop High School will be allowed to compete in the basketball playoffs.
Florida high school senior Brian Delancy has helped propel his basketball team to victory this season, bringing them to the number one seed in the state.
Just before the team could head to the playoffs, the Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) pulled the plug. Officials declared Delancy unfit to participate in the athletics program due to a lack of immigration paperwork.
The FHSAA forced Michael Krop High School to forfeit all of the games they had won with Bahamas-born guard Delancy playing.
Last week, an injunction was filed against the FHSAA's ruling.
According to NBC Miami, lawyers David Baron and Alan Goldfarb are working for free to present Delancy's case and keep Krop High School in the championships.
NBC Miami reports on the lawyers' position:
They point out a Catch-22 situation: public schools aren't allowed to ask a student about his or her immigration status, yet Krop is being penalized for allowing Delancy to play.
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According to CNN,
The emergency petition argues the FHSAA never set a hearing or requested information from Delancy before making a "unilateral" determination on his eligibility.
It asks the court to order that Krop play in the district and state championships and that the FHSAA provide the plaintiffs an opportunity to make their case if an investigation is conducted.
FHSAA spokesman Seth Polansky defended the association's actions, explaining that "playing athletics is a privilege and not a right."
Schools should ensure that students are eligible to participate in athletics, Polansky explained.
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