Lehi Sports
Court injunction prevents enforcement of foreign student transfer rule change, for now
The Utah High School Activities Association announced yesterday that the transfer rule change prohibiting varsity sports participation by certain foreign students has been suspended by court action.
The announcement read as follows:
“The United States District Court for the District of Utah has issued a preliminary injunction in the case of Szymakowski et al. v. Utah High School Activities Association et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-00751-RJS-CMR.
“The injunction prevents the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) from enforcing its Student Visa Eligibility Rule, Interps & Guidelines 1.9.3(B)(1), which currently prohibits foreign F-1 visa students from participating in varsity sports. This order will remain in effect pending the final resolution of the case.
““While we respect the Court’s decision, we are disappointed by the outcome. The Association is currently reviewing the ruling and evaluating next steps,” said a UHSAA representative.”
Students on F-1 visas choose the school which they will attend. In Utah, this is typically a private school. The UHSAA formulated the rule to try to address complaints of unfair competition created by the recruitment of foreign athletes. The preface to this particular rule change reads as follows:
The UHSAA recognizes the concerns of its member schools related to displacement of Utah students by students from foreign countries as well as recruiting of foreign players to be placed with Utah high schools. These rules are intended to preserve interscholastic competitive opportunities for Utah students and promote the unique competition fostered by the UHSAA.
The specifics of all of these changes can be accessed at
https://uhsaa.org/Publications/Handbook/Handbook.pdf.
The Wasatch Academy boys basketball program removed itself from the UHSAA years ago because of its foreign athletes. The team isn’t part of any region and is ineligible to compete for a state championship.
In the latest realignment plan, the boys basketball program at Layton Christian Academy has now gone independent as well for the same reason.
Students on J-1 visas who are placed at an institution by a recognized international student exchange program without outside influence may still participate in athletics at the high school where they have been assigned if they meet other UHSAA specifications and requirements.
Such students are not included in this court case.
