Los Changos continue without a local court after a determination by the Court of Appeal and Sports Arbitration

He Court of Appeal and Sports Arbitration (TAAD) dismissed the appeal submitted by the management of the Naranjito Changos that sought to reverse the decision of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV) which prohibits the national runners-up from playing on their field in the remainder of the postseason of the men’s top league.

The document, dated November 18 and signed by Mr. Jose E. Loubriel Vazquez, confirms the sanctions issued and stipulates that they were in accordance with the regulations for the 2023 tournament and were executed in the full exercise of the “inherent discretionary and administrative powers” of the tournament director, Jaime Vazquez Morales, and the president of the FPV, Cesar Trabanco.

The Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) ordered the closure of the court Angel “Gelito” Ortega in the remainder of the 2023 season after they were punished in this way due to an incident with two fans in that sports facility during a round robin phase match against the Caribes of San Sebastian.

Given this scenario, the Changos will have to find a field for the semifinal series, in which they will face the Yauco coffee growers starting this coming Wednesday. It has emerged that Corozal is an option.

This punishment is part of a resolution signed by Vazquez Morales dated November 13. The letter also reports fines of $200 for Naranjito players, Juan Vazquez and Juan Miguel “Juanmi” Ruizand for the leader of the Changos, Jamille Torres. These fines were paid by the Changos.

After issuing the punishment, Vazquez Morales explained that the situation that caused them occurred on November 11 at the end of a match between the Changos and the Caribes on the “Gelito” Ortega field.

In said match – which San Sebastian won in five sets – several Naranjito fans threw glasses at the main referee. The league managed to identify two of them as Jose “Prieto” Berrios and Daniel “Danny Moto” Villegas.

Vazquez added that the sanction of not allowing Naranjito to use his court responds to the fact that it is not the first time that incidents of this nature have occurred in that sports facility.

Naranjito’s agent, Alexis Aponte, requested reconsideration before Trabanco, who denied it. The manager then went to help the TAAD, which confirmed the punishment.

The TAAD’s response recounts the controversy and points out that the tournament director imposed the sanctions in accordance with the provisions of Article IX, sections 11, 16 and 17 and Article XIV, sections 5 and 6, of the 2023 tournament regulations.

The document specifies that TAAD decisions “may be reviewed only by the adversely affected party through an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerlandwho will definitively resolve the dispute in accordance with the Sports Arbitration Code.”

It is added that the time limit to appeal is 20 days, counted from the date on which the affected party is notified of the decision. If an appeal is not filed in Switzerland, the TAAD resolution will become “final and firm”.

The TAAD is the arbitration and appeal body provided for in the Constitution of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee (Copur) to settle controversies between federations. The decisions of the TAAD, as an appeal forum for federative determinations, can be appealed to the CAS.