The Malta Basketball Association (MBA) rules governing foreign players are quite straightforward but paradoxically enough they are at times prone to the weirdest interpretation.

A Cuban girl was some months ago seen practising basketball on an open court in Sliema. As her skills were very apparent, she attracted a lot of attention from passers-by who were basketball enthusiasts and in no time she started training with a local club.

After a while, for some reason, she stopped training with this club and returned to the same open court in Sliema. This time she was spotted by a Hibernians BC coach who approached her and asked how come such a talented player was training on a hard concrete surface in an open court.

It was learnt that she was attending an English language school in St Julians and was keen to join a well-organised club in Malta preferably with indoor facilities of its own so that she could train regularly in the afternoon.

The Hibs coach lost no time to take her to Corradino and, after a few training sessions, the Paola club decided to register her on the basis that she was attending a local education institution.

Eventually, Hibernians also submitted a declaration by the school principal certifying that this Cuban girl was registered with his English language academy as required by para 47 of chapter 2 of the regulations.

Much to the consternation of the Paola club, the player was declared by the MBA president’s council to be ineligible to play without giving an explanation why.

As such, this English language student was, in the eyes of the president’s council, to be not a student at all. Why?