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Naparima College will compete in the 2016 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Big Four tournament, after their successful protest against Presentation College’s use of midfielder Kori Cupid during the regular season.
Cupid, a Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team defender, played for the “Pres Lions” against Naparima as well as in several other Premier Division matches.
T&T won 11-0.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
However, after a protest by ‘Naps’, the SSFL disciplinary committee ruled that Cupid had exhausted the number of consecutive school years allowed for a footballer. And the decision could possibly lead to a startling startling change to the league standings and, in particular, the fate of the relegated three Premier Division schools.
Presentation allegedly claimed that Cupid took his SEA examination in 2009, when he passed for Trinity College (Moka). However, Naparima manager Percy Samlalsingh was able to prove that the versatile player actually joined Trinity school in 2008, which makes this his ninth year of secondary school.
“[Cupid] wrote SEA in 2008 and passed for Trinity and there were no records showing [him taking the exams in] 2009,” Samlalsingh told Wired868. “And when I spoke to teachers at Trinity Moka, they said yes he was there from 2008 to 2011…
“I don’t know why schools [are] going to this length to have students play. The rule is there. The rule states that you must have eight consecutive years, not nine years.”
Presentation coach Shawn Cooper declined comment on the infringement.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
According to Rule 1 of the SSFL’s Credential Committee, “A player’s status shall be determined by their last S.E.A. date. For players who did not write the S.E.A. Examination, the Committee shall consider relevant documents from the Ministry of Education to determine their status.”
And Rule 2 further states, “Players shall only be allowed one repeat. Players are only permitted eight (8) years of schooling from the date of the S.E.A. exams and it must run consecutively.”
Naparima finished behind by Presentation on just goal difference, so the successful protest means they will take their southern rivals’ place in the Big Four based on league finish.
However, Presentation were not inconvenienced much as, just a few hours after the SSFL’s decision, they qualified for the Big Four again after clinching a spot in the National Intercol final via a penalty shootout win over Signal Hill Secondary. The Big Four kicks off on Friday 9 December, just three days after the National Intercol final.
Presentation won 5-3 on kicks from the penalty mark to advance to the National Intercol finals.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
The top two Premier Division schools and the two Intercol finalists qualify automatically for the Big Four while, if one of the two top Premier Division teams get to the Intercol final, the next team in the league standings gets their place.
Crucially, Cupid did not feature against Naparima in the South Intercol semifinals, when the Pres Lions eliminated Naparima, the defending National Intercol champs, on penalties.
So, the current Big Four line-up of Shiva Boys Hindu College, Naparima, Presentation and San Juan North Secondary would have happened regardless of the protest. But that does not mean Presentation will emerge unscathed from this debacle.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
SSFL president Anthony Creed explained that the credentials committee, which is headed by general secretary Azaad Khan and includes all the zonal secretaries, is dutibound to look for other infringements by Presentation and Cupid—even without formal protests.
“Naparima went the legal route of protesting and there is a particular period for protests which is 72 hours [after the game is played],” Creed told Wired868. “What we are talking about is a credentials issue. There are other games he would have played but those teams didn’t protest. The credential committee still has to look at those other games and refer them to the disciplinary committee…
“The process has to take its place.”
At present, it is uncertain how many games Cupid appeared in this season. But Fatima College have already offered evidence to show that he featured against their school, which means the versatile player was used in more games than initially thought.
If Cupid featured in all of the Premier Division matches from Saturday 10 September in which National Under-20 players were allowed to take part, the impact of the final standings will be sensational since he might have also been used against Queen’s Royal College—along with St Augustine Secondary.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Should the SSFL credentials committee refer those games to the disciplinary committee and a consistent ruling be provided, the relegation-bound trio of QRC, Pleasantville Secondary and Fatima could become East Mucurapo (12 points), San Juan North (11 points) and Pleasantville Secondary (10 points) instead.
While, at the top of the standings, the new placements from first to seventh would be Shiva Boys, Naparima, St Anthony’s, Presentation, St Augustine, Signal Hill and Fyzabad Secondary.
But that’s just the half of it, as East Mucurapo defender Abdus Ramcharan was also deemed ineligible by the SSFL since he failed to meet the Academic Criteria for prospective Form Six players.
Mucurapo already lost their appeal of the disciplinary committee’s decision on the matter—which was made after a St Benedict’s College protest—but have since taken their case to arbitration.
Should the arbitration panel rule that the SSFL followed proper procedure in arriving at the decision, the credentials committee will again be called to further investigate East Mucurapo’s use of Ramcharan this season.
(Copyright Sean Morrison/Wired868)
If the disciplinary committee rules against East Mucurapo and Presentation and should both schools have used the illegitimate players at every opportunity, only the order of the relegated trio from the Pres scenario will change with Pleasantville, San Juan and East Mucurapo finishing with 13, 11 and zero points respectively.
One result that sums up the farcical implications of the unfolding scenario came on Wednesday 21 September at Guaracara Park: Presentation’s illegal player, Cupid, opened the scoring against an East Mucurapo defence that featured another ineligible player, Ramcharan. Presentation won 3-1.
God knows what the disciplinary committee will decide in that contest.
Samlalsingh hopes the SSFL learns from this debacle and forces its credentials committee to be more proactive in the future.
“There are too many discrepancies taking place right now and schools like ours and other schools as well try to do everything by the book,” said Samlalsingh. “Again it comes back down to the SSFL. They need to sort out their business with the credential certificates, because look at the situation with Mucurapo.
“If they had done proper research he would not have been playing at all.”
(Courtesy Annalicia Caruth/Wired868)
(The bottom five SSFL teams if Cupid played in all possible games—only the last three are relegated)
QRC (13 points), Fatima (12 points), East Mucurapo (12 points), San Juan North (11 points), Pleasantville (10 points).
*—East Mucurapo are relegated, rather than Fatima, due to inferior goal difference.
(The bottom five SSFL teams if Cupid and Ramcharan played in all possible games—only the last three are relegated)
QRC (15 points), St Benedict’s (15 points), Pleasantville (13 points), San Juan North (11 points), East Mucurapo (0 points).
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Roneil Walcott is an avid sports fan and freelance reporter with a BA in Mass Communication from COSTAATT. Roneil is a former Harvard and St Mary’s College cricketer who once had lofty aspirations of bringing joy to sport fans with the West Indies team. Now, his mission is to keep them on the edge of their seats with sharp commentary from off the playing field.
these schools do these things on purpose because if you look at the process that the registration of a student to enter a school and the process to register a player some one at the school must pick up the problem with the boy. Too many schools assembling a side instead of coaching a team. So they go all over the country to look for players. Iaiah Lee from Valencia used to go to St Augustine Secondary now he attending Naps in San Fernando
Player transfer and scouting have to be a big business lol
Teams guilty of these offences should start the season with a 6 points deficit with the wins awarded to two promoted teams.
…the human within…
Teams guilty of playing ineligible players should be BANNED for SSFL for a minimum of one year. That might be an incentive to do the right thing. People remember Mexico????
Would like to see the actual rules of the SSFL re: sanctions for using an “illegal” player. Why not just disqualify the team in which case they drop to the bottom of the table instead of checking to see which games the playes played and adjusting losses abd draws etc
When donations re football programs become more important than teaching integrity and fair play at the school level ..
Thank you Tisha-Marie
All that fancy talk by Percy yet Naps have a player who turning 20?
*Turning 20 and ain’t reach form 6 yet
Damn. What player would that be?
#7 Akinola Gregory…
His SEA date needs to be checked as well..I know for a fact he is not in form 6
Why does this decision portend impunity to Pres? They have no dire consequences to face but rather a coveted Intercol prize to play for so obviously not at all affected. This is more like a gentle league slap on the wrist! San Juan should definitely feel aggrieved regardless of the Intercol Final result as they stand to be relegated win or lose!
In the regular season match, Naps beat Pres 2-0 even with Cupid supposedly in the line-up so they had nothing to gain in terms of points and neither does Shiva as they won 3-1. This protest is more about principle, ethics and the ripple effect caused as we see with East Mucarapo, all the different permutations being presented due to these infractions that cause schools to be undeservedly relegated.
Imagine if young Cupid was not on National duty and played all 14 Games then the entire dynamic of the points table would have had a tectonic shift. Sadly, the myopic Pres Team Management entailing their Admin, Alumni, Coach, Manager should be held to task.
Let’s see if they are more acrimonious about getting caught than breaking the rules as gullible Creed seems to be with the timeframe cited for protest! Wrong is Wrong!
Time to fix the SSFL but you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. Would help if they were competent and passionate enough to do their jobs without ambiguity!
Lawrd have mercy….
This is fr Kori?
I’m trying to understand why there are so many instances of schools playing non-registered players. Aren’t the players supposed to have league issued photo IDs that officials are supposed to verify before each game?
They do.. and a fee is paid by schools for each registered SSFL player.. Apparently, the schools are trusted to know the rules and to adhere to them
All this talk scene thing bai? Hmmm Jahreed Murray u liking yuhself ent? Lol
Dawg wda?
Big wet watery STEUPS our boys have played by the rules done the work and God forbid to be dropped by someone not doing their due diligence as well as unscrupulous action by Pres they should be banned or fined it is unfair to say the least ?
Fined and stripped of points earned, then barred for a year.
Lasana Liburd i always found this tough to live with!! In 2000 after winning Tobago intercol with Elizabeth’s college we lost on the six years after SEA rule. I left Tobago to teach in Trinidad on the next flight in 2009 after gaining promotion with woodbrook sec and preparing a team whole summer and some of my players not gaining d academic requirements i played against those very players playing for the Champions of that year and the defending champions!! Trinity tried to get me to protest when we were locked in d relegation battle couldn’t get heart to disappoint the kids because of mistakes of adults not after my own experience as a coach earlier this is wide spread but what’s d solution??
How is not protesting benefitting the players Gordon Pierre. Isn’t it part of their life lessons to know if others are misleading them
Boi Timothy Rochford it was something i never thought deeply about! All i knew is when we won in 2000 i honestly didn’t know d rule i was a young coach assembling a team in fact the youngster who they protested against was part of my team d year before and in 4th form at d time because he had dropped out of school and became a fisherman and only returned because his mother sent him back. I was heartbroken and returned to Trinidad with them damn Tobagoian in mind!! Lol the young man stopped playing joined d army a real talent i couldn’t put other through that!! I decided if the kids underage let my kids match up and win they couldn’t, never understood how those boys got into those other schools though!!
I hear you pal
What is sad is that some of these administrators know of the rule.
Still they abuse it
Yep those two teams had very experienced coaches and management. Trinity management brought it up at a North zone meeting they were last at d time we second to last! Lol i said if the league want they can investigate but i didn’t want to seem like a spoil sport and to b honest prefer football to be decided on the pitch or probably I felt i wouldn’t not have come last!! Lol seriously though i felt the league should have taken some action guess it was the big guns!!
Apparently the league has an obligation to investigate any such protest and check thereafter for any other similar violations.
Without a second protest.
Hmm
maybe instead of relegation for this specific issue in a case where an innocent school would suffer…a play off game on a home and away basis
A much better proposition
welcome to the third world 🙂
Btw …years ago SS cricket used to have this same nonesense. .I think tadpole play bout 10yrs fuh Princes Town…lol
Honestly. .it’s unfair to simply deduct the points from the games tge player played… the SSFL has to make it CLEAR that infractions like this in the future will lead to RELEGATION of the transgressors
But that is exactly what will happen based on the rules. What they decide in the future is another story.
Well that’s not what you’re suggesting.. or are u?.. is Pres going down?
But your article doesn’t suggest PRES is going down. ..what I’m saying is in the future if an ineligible player is used for ONE game …the school should go down
.
Watch and see how careful they become
He’s stating that the points will be deducted based on the games the player participated in according to the rules
Btw ..ah wonder how naps found out about this?…huum
Well the SSFL will have to amend the rules of their credential committee in the future in order for that to happen
And Roneil K Walcott I’m saying forget each game…the school goes down automatically
They have not the balls to relegate an entire school. Especially if it’s a big name school…is Trinidad inno Shaun
Oh gawd man why San Juan have to suffer just so. So wait schools not aware of these rules? How fair is it to know matches finish and by some protesting twist of fate …an entire school get relegated? Nah man
I think Trevor Bridglalsingh pointed out the chain before a player is registered. So someone along the line must have spotted the error/dishonesty and allowed it to happen.
So ….. Qrc gonna live another day??
This thing getting very interesting. I really want to hear which teams got relegated, which team or teams Qualified / disqualified. Etc etc etc How about Naparima and Shiva Boys ? Does both teams get to wear there football boots before the season done ??
Sorry to say…the SSFL executive and credentials committee 100% to be blamed for this
Went over this ad nauseum already , and these are not mistakes they are deliberates , the people involved are en courant with the rules and all are given copies of the regulations …EVERY YEAR.
Someone has to write the required formation on a registration form , this has to be checked , ,then signed by the Principal as valid and correct and official school stamp.
Smh.
Lasana Liburd This thing give me a headache…..lol
Lasana Liburd every time I see you post I wonder if it’s to say who the new national coach going to be
Lol. Those “other” media houses chaining allyuh up with 24 hours and 48 hours and ting eh?
Lasana Liburd not really….idc for their news….just wanna see who the team going to be trusted with and I trust the news that I read here….I have my personal preference….just wanna see if that’s their choice
More reason for us to beat them on Tuesday ?
True!
All this is rather confusing… You play ineligible players and all you lose is the points? That doesn’t deter people from being dishonest in the future. There has to be much more severe penalties….
Well, it was severe for East Mucurapo who were relegated as a result. But I get your point though. They definitely need to brainstorm on this.
Derrel Murrien that bad
Telling yuh boy
This is not the first player from the north to be scuttled to Pres.
Sorry DeNyssa Furlonge! 🙁
?
Haha. They playing with your emotions Gyasi!
Yes!
What about Shiva Boys Hindu college? They also protested because of Kori
Kori didn’t play that match. I know because I covered it.
ok cool
Yes but if he played against Naps it means now that the south zone final should’ve really been Naps vs SHIVA boys. Not so?
Yes so b it but they would never do that they so unfair ,,if what shiva all now we gone out of d competition,,,n all on d news ,papers but is pres so that would not happen ,,sad yes sad
Fergie. Cupid played against Naps in the league. He did not play against them in the South Zone Intercol
Pres not Pres they make a mistake. These irregularities do not happen at schools like Pres.
Hahaha yeah right..
i wonder if this young man has five O level passes
Isaiah Hudson wah kori doing
?he doing he own ting boy lol
nine years in high school. Pres should be relegated and the coach fired and any titles won this year be taken away
The coach is not a teacher at the school. So I’m not sure whether he would be the person to pin this on.
That might be the manager instead.
A player from north reach south and the coach knows nothing come nah man
Lol. The coach might know he is a good player but not when he started school. I don’t know.
The people here who are involved with SSFL teams might know better than me.
I just find it strange and the schools that using these young men need to be penalized. At some point a coach a principal or team manager should say these young men need to get and education.
He actually has 9..if what you are trying to imply is that he went to school just to play ball..think again
Someone just said he has nine passes actually…
Wow so he just love school football then and wasting his own time
Lasana all these schools that use illegal players should be harshly dealt with . …like thrown out….no wonder trini in this state….win by any means necessary……lot of BS….
Many people are saying this sort of thing gas been going on for year, and subliminally saying it’s is OK. Buy it’s not some schools are exploiting the young men keeping them in the school system with some very questionable practices. Mr creed statement with the 72 hours protest time is utter rubbish there should be not statute of limitations of a legal protest within an active school football season. All schools found in breach of the laws should face the full extent of its enforcers.
I agree with you insomuch as the clock should not start running until when we feel the wronged team should have reasonably known they were cheated. In this case, it can’t be the opposing schools’ fault for not knowing when every player they are up against took their SEA exam.
The fact that this crime has been committed before is no excuse. Although I don’t think the people who said so meant it as an excuse either.
If you look at the records you will realise he played against another North Zone team as well besides St. Anthony.
Story updated to show that now.
This is gross incompetence by both a prestige school and the SSFL who one would be inclined to believe possess the intellect to abide by the rules and regulate respectively. Sadly, this seems to be prevalent in the modus operandi of our national football as the same SSFL coaches, management and administrators now hold higher positions by being on or associated with the TTFA.
I can only presume that the criteria is based on being dumb and dumber which is why our football at all levels have degenerated and dare I say mired in mediocrity.
Remember 23 youth players went to Curacao utilizing TTFA’s financial resources when only 20 were allowed to play and now blatant flouting of the rules by Schools. Where are the Accountability and Review systems to mitigate these travesties?
Nine Years a professional school footballler is also unacceptable. What happens if there is an unfortunate career ending injury? I am almost certain these types of players do not have the basic passes needed to get a job at a fast food restaurant which is an indictment on the schools who have failed to educate their students to become graduates and attain qualifications. Not everyone will be the next Dwight Yorke and make millions on the world’s stage.
I say this from experience in that despite making the team, I missed out decades ago on my opportunity to play for Naps at Intercol level due to bad groin injury. However, I buckled down, studied and became gainfully employed as an Oil and Gas professional internationally. My dream to play school football was dashed but was always inculcated with an “all-round, nothing is handed to you on a silver platter but must be worked harder than anyone for” mindset by my Parents and Teachers. Undoubtedly, not all Schools do that nor does the SSFL care with the buffoons who guide them.
When will we start fervently demonstrating good governance by enforcing the rules whilst ultimately putting Students and our Country first?
waa they doing d doggg lmao
????????????
dwg lol waz dis bai
So Pres aint have enough academic glory that they have to exploit the youth for athletic glory? Steups
Ok kool.
Woooow
More severe penalties need to be imposed on these schools. Absolutely wrong for a school to blatantly flout the rules, but still qualify for post season play!! BS!!
I agree with you on that…..
That is just my point Lasana. Players being exploited for the glory of the school. No regard for the rules.
This is a very poor reflection on the LEADERS of these schools. Is winning at all costs now the mantra in schools?
What sort of example is being sent to students? Can we get some EXEMPLARY example being sent to young people?
Is there still a Ministry of Education?
Please get your act together and teach children that there are rules for ALL.
Sounds like Cupid wanted a “sweat”. I wonder if he will still be in school at all next year. Curious case and I will bet it happens more regularly than we might think.
I will always blame the managers and Coaches who continues to allow this sort of stupidness and it has been going on for ages and Mr. Khan if he is still in charge of the school league. Them really good yes.
Lasana , did this youth play early in the season?
Hassan, I think his first game was against Naps and then he would have left with under-20s. I can’t confirm but I think I remember Cooper telling me so after that game.
Breds … these schools should face serious sanctions…this is really dishonest of the school administration….
We will wait and see ….
Yes Mango…. he still there…..and still allowing all this stupidness…I think he is the General Secretary….Creed is the Pres…..
..Now?.
He did play against Fatima…..
.
Wow so much foolishness for school level football smh. Anyway looking forward to Wednesday’s finals ? any idea of the venue yet?
No. Not decided yet. Gotta be either Mannie Ramjohn or Larry Gomes though.
Okay. The finals are rescheduled to Tuesday evening at 3.30 pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium. The girls final opens the double header from 1.30 pm. 😉
All that deception to compete against schoolboys for a trophy? Sad!
Nine years? Man is a professional schoolboy. Eh Damian? Lol.
I really did not know the particulars before today. But sadly it has happened and my Alma mater will face repercussions because of this. And, probably will happen again. But several systems are at fault to let this reach so far.
Irony of ironies, the team successfully protesting the ineligibility is one that beat us with him in the team.
Lol. Yeah. True
Rhoda, Pres men again! Lol.
How yuh ah gwan so, Lie-bird?
Hahaha.
Unfortunate situation. There is one boy who is alleged to be registered in uwi but registered for a secondary school for the term of September 2016 to June 2017. I wonder if he would be at the secondary school come January. Do your investigations.
That is not nearly enough information for us to go on. But you can email us at lasana@wired868.com if you would like to share more on that.