Intercol champs San Juan likely relegated

San Juan North just avoided relegation from the 15-team Premier League competition, finishing 12th on the standings. Queen’s Royal College (13th), Pleasantville (14th) and Fatima (15th) finished in the bottom three and were relegated. 

However, Presentation College which finished second in the competition fielded an ineligible player during some of the matches. Presentation’s victories over Queen’s Royal College, East Mucurapo and Fatima were all reversed with the aforementioned schools granted 3-0 wins. Naparima’s win over Presentation was also changed to 3-0. 

Assistant Secretary of the Secondary Schools Football League Gerald Elliot said, “there was a situation where they (Presentation) had a boy nine years into the system and as a result he was ineligible to play, as a result they lost points for four games which brought them from second place to fourth place. Pres choose not to appeal their situation and you could consider that matter completed.” If the points are altered, San Juan North will drop from 12th to 14th and will be demoted. QRC will move to 12th, Fatima will be 13th and Pleasantville will be 15th. 

The standings may be changed again as East Mucurapo’s use of a player is also in question. Elliot explained, “that was the disciplinary matter that we dealt with since October where they (East Mucurapo) used a player who had been deemed ineligible for not having a minimum four subjects in A Levels. And as a result they’ve lost points for one game which was St Benedict’s who was the team that protested at the time.

However, if after they have exhausted all their legal options and everything goes in favour with the league’s decision chances they can lose further points from matches that the young man would have played in.” If East Mucurapo are punished for the use of the ineligible player they will be relegated along with San Juan North and Pleasantville.