By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Angelo Kouame’s Filipino naturalization will allow the Ateneo Blue Eagles to look for another Foreign Student-Athlete (FSA).
Antipolo City 1st District Rep Robbie Puno filed House Bill No. 5951 last January which aims to give Kouame Filipino citizenship.
With Senator Sonny Angara filing a counterpart measure via Senate Bill 1892, the Ivorian center will most likely acquire the citizenship before the year ends.
If Kouame will be granted Filipino citizenship, head coach Tab Baldwin and the Blue Eagles can choose another FSA to suit up for the team.
Under UAAP rules, once a foreigner is granted Filipino citizenship, he/she will no longer be classified as FSA.
Delving more into it, the league’s rule classifies its student-athletes as either Filipino citizens or foreigners to which Kouame falls as a Filipino.
Already in line and waiting in residency are 20-year-old Kofi Agyei from Ghana and 21-year-old Joseph Obasa from Nigeria.
