St Benedict’s College are set to be stripped of 12 points and, by extension, their claim to the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division title for their use of captain Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia.
However, the “La Romaine Lions” will not face the ultimate sanction of being relegated for their improper use of the former Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 team attacker.

Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
The ruling was disclosed by the SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan this evening—10 weeks after the schools’ body opened a probe into the school’s conduct, and nine weeks after Benedict’s completed their Premier Division season.
St Benedict’s principal Gregory Quan Kep registered Garcia as a “bonafide student” of the school on 30 August 2024, although the 17-year-old had not attended school there in 14 months.
Garcia had still not attended a single class at the time of his three games for the La Romaine Lions, despite wearing their captain’s armband on the football field.
Article 16.1 of the SSFL Constitution orders that a school be suspended for using a player who was not properly registered. However, based on a letter from acting chief education officer Aaron Ramrattan and attorney Tyrone Marcus’ view of “the proportionality principle”, the Disciplinary Committee declined to apply the ultimate sanction.

Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Instead, St Benedict’s were docked three points and three goals for every match in which Garcia played before he was an active student—inclusive of his outing against Queen’s Royal College (QRC), as, prsumably, he had not been a student for 72 hours before playing.
The affected matches are their: 1-0 win over San Juan North (2 October), 3-1 win over Fatima (5 October), 2-1 win over St Anthony’s College (7 October) and 2-1 win over QRC (9 October).
The rejigged standings, as a result, see Fatima College finish as Premier Division champions with 38 points, followed by Presentation College (San Fernando) (35) and St Anthony’s College (33).
St Benedict’s, undefeated on the field of play this year, are fourth with 29 points while Arima North Secondary are fifth with 24 points. The school has until Friday 3 January 2025 to appeal the decision.

Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
The decision will not alter St Benedict’s capture of the 2024 Coca Cola National Intercol title. However, the SSFL has still not publicly pronounced on a protest from Signal Hill Secondary on their penalty shootout loss to St Benedict’s in the National Intercol semifinal—when referee Crystal Sobers appeared to allow the latter team’s goalkeeper, Thane Devenish, to flout the laws of the game.
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read why the SSFL opted not to relegate St Benedict’s College, despite acknowledging the constitutional penalty for using an invalid student.

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
It is very important to instill good values at a very early age and SSFL needs to ensure all teams abide by the rules. In addition, every school needs to act honestly and the failure of St Benedict’s College to do the right thing sends a bad signal to its players that it is okay to be dishonest. I think that the rule to relegate the team for the remainder of the season should have been enforced. Congratulations to the three teams who were promoted through fair play and hard work.
“St Benedict’s principal Gregory Quan Kep registered Garcia as a “bonafide student” of the school on 30 August 2024, although the 17-year-old had not attended school there in 14 months.
Garcia had still not attended a single class at the time of his three games for the La Romaine Lions, despite wearing their captain’s armband on the football field.”
Anybody who good with that in SCHOOL’S football – happy new year to you. At the same time, SSFL didn’t apply its regulation mandating suspension against St. Augustine so it can’t apply it now. Precedent. Trini is the land of Jokes, Jokes and more Jokes.
Good Night
I always believe in fairness and doing the right thing. Now that St Benedict College was stripped of the Premiership Title. How could they remain the Intercol champions 2024? Mainly because their position after being stripped places them in 4th place this would have affected the line up of the teams, they played for the Intercol Title 2024. I personally feel SSFL dropped the ball on this because their delayed ruling came too late.
To the six teams that played in the Intercol 2024 this delayed ruling took away five other school’s chances of fair play and possibility of winning. Remember these boys of the other five schools also played their hearts out for the love of the game and each team wanted a fair chance of winning. I hope in the future clearer and fair rules can be enforced in a timely manner.
Spot on Ma’am.
Fully agree. Well said
Gonsalves and his Merere Men with the weakest solution possible… Hooray! Minimum effort!
I do seek an e msil contact . Mine is
sirjuesinghk@ gmail.com