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APPENDIX XI – MHSAA POTENTIAL AGE WAIVER DUE TO DISABILITY COMPLETE
HANDBOOK WORDING
SECTION 2 (B) —The Executive Committee may consider an exception to the maximum age limitation
for up to one year only (student not to exceed age 20 prior to Sept. 1) for students (1) who, following
medical documentation sufficient to establish that they had a disability as defined by the Americans With
Disabilities Act and/or the Persons With Disabilities Civil Rights Act, were delayed in their education
progress prior to their initial enrollment in the 9th grade in any school solely by reason of such disability;
and (2) who at the time of the request for waiver are determined by the Executive Committee (a) to not
present a significant risk of injury to themselves, teammates or opponents, and (b) to not create a
competitive advantage in comparison to teammates and opponents. The burden of proof regarding these
factors rests with the party seeking the waiver; the Executive Committee has no duty to conduct an
independent inquiry. If the Executive Committee determines in its sole discretion that it is impossible to
make a determination about a particular student’s competitive advantage or physical risk, it is not required
to consider the request any further.
Waiver may be approved in the Executive Committee’s sole discretion only for students who are
documented by qualified medical professionals to have a disability which at the time of the request for
waiver limits both physical and either intellectual or emotional capabilities. The disability must have a
direct and significant negative impact on the student’s physical athletic ability. Policies and procedures for
submission and review of waiver requests shall be determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee may develop a list of disabilities recognized by the medical community to severely diminish
both physical and either intellectual or emotional capacity that may qualify for review. If the Executive
Committee chooses to develop such a list, each individual for whom waiver is approved must be
determined by the Executive Committee to meet all criteria for waiver; no approval is automatic.