Utah court allows Australian student to play football following lawsuit

October 21, 2024 / Athletic AdministrationCoachingFootball
A Utah court has ruled that an international student can play on his high school football team after filing a discrimination lawsuit. The court said that there is a “strong likelihood” that a current Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) is unconstitutional.

Zachary Szymakowski is an Australian student-athlete attending Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah. He is here on an F-1 visa. A UHSAA rule, that was enacted earlier this year, states that students with F-1 visas can only play on non-varsity teams.

utahA recent story from WRIC.com detailed the court’s ruling. Below is an excerpt from the WRIC.com story.

The rule states that schools that allow an international student to play on a varsity team forfeit the chance to play in a postseason competition.

Szymakowski filed a lawsuit claiming the new rule violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. On Thursday, Oct. 17, the court granted a temporary restraining order of the UHSAA’s rule.

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“The court finds there is a strong likelihood that the Student Visa Eligibility Rule is unconstitutional,” documents said. “Mr. Szymakowski should be allowed to play tonight’s game without forfeiting his high school’s eligibility for postseason competition.”

The court also allowed him to play on the team for the rest of this year’s football season.

To read the full story from WRIC.com, click here.