Court: Ohio Catholic school can challenge competition rules

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court is keeping the door open for a court challenge of reforms aimed at leveling the playing field for public and private school sports teams.

The court today ruled a Hamilton County judge can properly consider a challenge by a Catholic school athletic league to “competitive balance” rules implemented by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

The rules addressed the athletic dominance of private schools, which can draw student-athletes from a larger geographic area.

The Greater Catholic League Coed Division and Roger Bacon High School sued to challenge a new formula that reclassifies teams for state tournaments beyond enrollment numbers.

The athletic association had argued that the courts couldn’t interfere to change a bylaw voted in by member schools.