MHSAA may file for bankruptcy protection after court ruling

4/10/2008

LANSING, Mich. The Michigan High School Athletic Association is preparing to file for bankruptcy protection after a federal judge ordered it to pay millions in legal bills, plus interest.

The MHSAA also says in a statement Wednesday it s considering an appeal.

U.S. District Judge Richard Enslen on March 31 directed the organization to pay $4.4 million in attorneys fees after its scheduling system was found to have discriminated against some female student-athletes.

Most of the money is to go to lawyer who represented a group of Grand Rapids-area women in the case.

The Detroit News reports Enslen also awarded interest on the judgment, swelling the total payout to $7.4 million. The Grand Rapids Press reports the MHSAA has until April 30 to appeal Enslen s order.