ISSA P R E S S R E L E A S E – Further to a protest received from Wolmer’s Boys School regarding the alleged use of an ineligible player by Jamaica College against Wolmer’s Boys School on November 11, 2015, the Competition’s Committee of ISSA has ruled that Jamaica College was fully compliant with the rules of the Manning Cup in fielding both Ajani Talbot and Jahvan Russell in their game against Wolmers’ Boys School on November 11, 2015.
After a hearing which involved members of the ISSA’S Competition’s Committee and the Wolmers’ Boys School representatives, it was agreed that while Wolmer’s Boys had raised some salient issues regarding the competition rules for both the Manning / Walker Cup and the Super Cup, however the Committee has ruled that:
- Rule of 6 of the 2015 Schoolboy Football Handbook which was allegedly breached by Jamaica College clearly states that a player who receives a red card automatically misses the next match of the competition or extension of said competition. The rule also clearly states that the Manning and Walker Cup are to be regarded as one competition but does not name any competition which is an extension of this said competition, although identifying the Olivier Shield as a separate competition.
- That the Competition’s Committee has determined that any competition which is organised by ISSA and for which participation is dependent on the prior or simultaneous participation in the Manning and Walker Cups must necessarily be considered an extension of said Manning and Walker Cup.
- Based on the said Rule 6 of the 2015 Schoolboy Football Handbook, we have concluded that any player who is issued a Red Card in an ISSA organised competition MUST miss the next ISSA organised game in which his team is involved, excepting the Olivier Shield.
- As a result of 1-3 above the Competition’s Committee has therefore concluded that Ajani Talbot was rightfully suspended from the ISSA / Flow Super Cup game against Wolmers’ Boys School on Saturday November 07, 2015 and was therefore ELIGIBLE for participation in the Manning Cup game of November 11, 2015.
On the matter of cautions accumulated by players in the Manning / Walker Cups as well as the Super Cup, the committee wishes to indicate that the rules of both competitions clearly indicate the relevant penalties to be applied for card accumulations in EACH competition and does not reference an accumulation of cards across the Manning / Walker Cups and the Super Cup.
Both ISSA and Wolmer’s Boys School have agreed that many of the issues raised by Wolmers’ Boys School are worthy of consideration and further review. ISSA is therefore committed to ensuring that clarity is brought to our various competition rules for the 2016/2017 season.
WOLMER’S BOYS PRESS RELEASE :
Pursuant to good will/sportsmanship and in the spirit of fair play, Wolmer’s Boys’ School has received and has agreed to accept the decision made by ISSA Competitions Committee to advance Jamaica College to the Semi-finals of the 2015 Manning Cup. Wolmer’s is not lost to the fact that many lives are affected in a very real way by the Manning Cup and other ISSA competitions. As such, it would be remiss of us to hinder so many boys and coaches from realizing a dream that Wolmer’s is all to familiar with.
We appreciate the fact that ISSA’s Competitions Committee has recognized the ambiguitty of the rules and that the ruling can be deemed as one’s interpretation of the Handbook. Going forward, we hope all parties would have been, a good football year. We thank ISSA for recongnizing the validity of our complaint and the need for such discourse as we look into the future of the game.
Wolmer’s Boys’ School is committed to lifting the level of school boy football in Jamaica. It is our hope that our efforts will strengthen the competition in the years to come.
