The three-man Appeals Committee of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) will meet today to deliberate on an appeal filed by St Benedict's College in response to being deducted 12 points by the Disciplinary Committee on December 30, 2024, for the illegal use of a player that was not fully registered according to the SSFL rules for the 2024 season.
Guardian Media Sports understands that the appeal will focus on the date of registration of player Derrel Garcia by committee members Derek West, Rudolph Hope and Forbes Persaud.
St Benedict's College produced an unblemished season that earned them a clean sweep of the Premier Division title, the South Zone InterCol and the Coca-Cola National InterCol titles, however, it is the league performance that is being challenged.
Garcia, the former national Under-20 striker, missed the entire Form three year of school when he opted for a football internship at an academy in Spain from May 2023 to September 2024. His absence was not known to the Ministry of Education.
Documents regarding the arrangement between Garcia, the football academy, his request for leave from school, and the request to re-enroll in school were shared with the media.
The Ministry of Education also investigated the matter and submitted its findings to the SSFL.
The findings showed that Garcia's first day of school in a classroom was October 8, 2024.
Following the Disciplinary Committee meeting St Benedict's College was deducted three goals and as many points for the four matches Garcia played while he was not properly registered for matches he played against San Juan North Secondary and won 1-0; Fatima College, they won 3-1; St Anthony's College which led to a 2-1 triumph for the Southerners and against Queen's Royal College (QRC), they prevailed in 2-1, all in October.
The report from the Disciplinary Committee of the SSFL clearly spelt out its decision, saying: "Based on the Disciplinary Committee’s Report St Benedict’s College will forfeit all points for the undermentioned games and three (3) points and three (3) goals be awarded to the respective schools/teams."
The ruling handed Fatima College, the then second-placed team in the Premier Division the title, while the Southerners were relegated to fourth on the standings below, Fatima (38 points), Presentation College, San Fernando (35 points), and St Anthony's College (33 points). St Benedict's College was left on 29 points from a previous total of 41 points.
On Friday (January 3), the Southerners appealed to its principal Gregory Quan-Kep, who himself has been at the centre of the school's lack of communication about Garcia's whereabouts to the Ministry of Education.
The ministry in its judgement said it wrote to the SSFL secretary Azaad Khan on December 9, making it clear the expected protocol at the ministry is that any request by a student for a leave of absence or reinstatement, must be forwarded to the school supervisor for approval, however, they stated that no information was given to the school supervisor.
Quan-Kep on Monday confirmed his team's appeal of the decision but he did not want to divulge anything more, saying today the Appeals Committee will decide.
FINAL STANDINGS
PL*P*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Fatima*15*12*02*01*50*11*39*38
2*Presentation*15*11*02*02*33*10*23*35
3*St. Anthony’s*15*11*00*04*38*18*20*33
4*St. Benedict’s*15*09*02*04*28*16*12*29
5*Arima North*15*06*06*03*26*13*13*24
6*QRC*15*07*03*05*24*19*05*24
7*Naparima*15*06*04*05*26*19*07*22
8*San Juan North*15*07*01*07*28*27*01*22
9*Signal Hill *15*06*03*06*26*28*-02*21
10*Malick *15*06*02*07*30*32*-02*20
11*St Mary’s *15*05*01*09*16*29*-13*16
12*St. Augustine *15*04*03*08*11*33*-22*15
13*Trinity East*15*04*01*10*19*30*-11*13
14*Speyside *15*03*03*09*21*34*-13*12
15*East Mucurapo*15*04*00*11*13*27*-14*12
16*Miracle Ministries*15*02*01*12*08*51*- 43*07