Wolmer’s formal complaint lists different JC player

While confirming receipt of a written letter of appeal from Wolmer's Boys' School, Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) competition's officer George Forbes has highlighted inconsistencies in the Heroes' Circle-based school's case filed against Jamaica College (JC) for allegedly using an ineligible player in their quarter-final round Manning Cup match on November 11, which JC won 3-1.

"The person who they said is ineligible, on Friday when it was first brought to our attention when we told them to put it in writing, when they formally appealed that is not the person they are appealing against now. Apparently they realised that person is okay," Forbes told The Gleaner yesterday.

"First it was (Jahvain) Russell. I was expecting an appeal about Russell, now they have decided that it's not Russell again, but it's (Ajeanie) Talbott.

"They (Wolmer's) have now decided that Russell is in fact eligible, now they are saying it is Talbott."

Legitimate under ISSA rules

Forbes reasoned that the appeal is about a player who got a red card in the Manning Cup, then sat out the FLOW Super Cup, then featured in the following Manning Cup match, which, according to ISSA rules, would be legitimate.

ISSA Football Rules and Guidelines Rule 6 (Revised 2015) states:

"If a player receives a red card he automatically misses the next match in the competition or extension of said competition. For the purposes of the rule, Manning and Walker (Cups), on the other hand, and Dacosta and Ben Francis (Cups), on the other, are regarded as one competition. Olivier Shield is regarded as a separate competition."

Subsequent Gleaner checks of the match documents reveal that Talbott was sent off in the game against Vauxhall High on November 4, which JC won 2-0. He sat out the next game, which was the FLOW Super Cup match, in which JC beat Wolmer's 2-0 on November 7, at Sabina Park.

Talbott then played in the following match, in which JC hammered Wolmer's 3-1 in their final group quarter-final match, ousting Wolmer's at the Constant Spring Field.

"If we were to meet, the latest we can meet is Thursday. When we meet now whatever decision we take, one way or another, JC has a right to appeal. When do you schedule the appeal?" he questioned, with semi-finals scheduled for Saturday.

He pointed out that the earliest a meeting could be held is Thursday, adding that the semi-finals remain on course for Sabina Park on Saturday. Admission is $500.