Ivy Seniors Vs. Japan?

An American sports management company announced the plans for a football game to be held in Japan next month between a select group of Ivy League seniors and Japanese all-stars, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported last Friday.

However, the game--which is sponsored by the International Management Group (IMG) and is scheduled for December 23 in Yokohama, Japan--will not be affiliated with the Ivy League.

In the most recent meeting of the Council of Ivy Presidents this year, the reaction towards giving the game official Ivy League affiliation was "mixed," according to Jeff Orleans, the league's executive director.

"Each president has his own specific reasons," Orleans said yesterday. "But I think one explicit reason was the difficulty that the game would conflict with the exam schedules of certain schools."

Harvard President Derek C. Bok and football Coach Joe Restic each could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Harvard Captain Greg Gicewicz, when asked about the announcement, said he had not yet been informed about the game.

"It's all news to me," said Gicewicz, who expressed interest in the contest.

Since the Ivy League will not officially support the game in Japan, players with no remaining eligibility will be targeted by IMG, according to The Pennsylvanian's article. Because of NCAA regulations, the players will not be contacted by IMG until the Ivy season ends, the article said.

The game will interfere with final exams at most Ivy League schools. But for seniors at Harvard, which starts winter break on December 20 and holds exams in mid-January, the scheduling of the game is not expected to create any serious academic conflicts.