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New Mexico 2003 cross country
Shadrack Kiptoo eligibility case

Court overrules state association in "Kiptoo-gate"
11/3 Kiptoo ruled ineligible for state meet - Shadrack Kiptoo, the phenom who just became eligible for high school sports a year after his move from Kenya, is ineligible for the New Mexico state meet Nov 8, according to reports. The Albuquerque Tribune said the New Mexico Activities Association ruled Kiptoo guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct at the District meet when he returned to the course after his big win and and cheered his La Cueva teammates to the finish. La Cueva coach Eddy Hellebuyck said he has a video showing Kiptoo merely cheered on the sidelines with Hellebuyck without pacing any runners. Tribune story
11/4 Kiptoo attorney files for restraining order - Complaint asks court to prohibit the NMAA "from discriminating against Shadrack based on his ethnicity and/or for being faster than other competitors." Before the alleged unsportsmanlike conduct, Kiptoo won his district race by 90 seconds. NM Association official says he say Kiptoo pacing his teammates for 30 meters. Albuquerque Tribune story.
11/5
Kiptoo eligible for state meet after court ruling - New Mexico district judge Bill Lang listened to 6 hours of testimony and then decided that Kiptoo should be allowed to compete in the New Mexico state meet Saturday (11/8). The decision turned on testimony that the meet official who ruled Kiptoo guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct under National Federation rules did not know that New Mexico Activities Association rules have a penalty of disqualification from the next meet, which is stricter than the National Federation rules. The meet official, Denis Heimerich, said he had never seen a copy of the NMAA rules and would have called a lesser infraction if he knew his decision would result in Kiptoo missing the state meet.
After the ruling, Kiptoo hugged his coach (Eddy Hellebuyck) and told the Albuquerque Tribune, "I'm going to run as fast as I can."

 

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