Excelsior booted from Champions Cup, deducted six points in Manning Cup

Defending Manning Cup champions Excelsior High were found guilty of using an ineligible player at an ISSA Disciplinary Committee hearing on Monday. As a result, they were stripped of their Walker Cup top-four spot and, by extension, kicked out of the all-island Champions Cup, where Wolmer's Boys will replace them. Excelsior lost the semi-final to eventual champions Kingston College but, prior to that, had defeated Wolmer's in the quarter-final. The top four schools from the urban Walker Cup and the top four from the rural Ben Francis Cup will contest the Champions Cup. JC, who were kicked out of the Walker Cup final after using an ineligible player in the semi-final, retained their spot in the Champions Cup as they had already qualified for the Champions Cup before using the ineligible player. Excelsior will also lose six points in the Manning Cup in Group 2, which they led with 12 points. The latest controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of ISSA’s player-registration and eligibility procedures, following the disciplinary action against JC. The situation also raises fresh questions about the association’s player-verification procedures and the responsibility of schools to ensure that their players meet competition eligibility requirements.