Quebec Judge Picks Team

Welcome to Quebec.  La Belle Province.  It's a beautiful land with a distinct culture where craft beer and maple syrup flow like the mighty St. Lawrence River, where prophylactics and Coca-Cola products are frowned upon, and now where Superior Court Judges decide who makes the rosters of youth basketball teams.

Mr. Justice Martin Bédard ordered that a regional basketball team competing at the Quebec Games must include 16 year old Souleymane Haydara, who, after originally making the team, was demoted by the coach to the reserve bench when a more experienced player recovered from injury in time to compete.

Perhaps most surprising is that the ruling wasn't the result of some high priced lawyer trickery, but rather the pleas of Souleymane's mother, Julie Thibodeau, who represented her own son in court.

According to Judge Bédard: “The coach’s decision to cut Souleymane, although taken in good faith, constitutes a real injustice for Souleymane. The boy provided all necessary efforts. He was proud to make the team. We cannot take that away without cause.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought that the cause that Judge Bédard is searching for was that a better player became available to the team.  Okay, I get it that the rosters were set, and that an expectation had been created.  And I understand that a youth basketball team competing at the Quebec games shouldn't be as cut throat as a professional sports team.  But, is this really an area that courtrooms should be able to impact?

I wonder if the family will keep the mother on retainer just in case they're not happy with Souleymane's playing time during the tournament.