[UPDATED] Miracle Ministries, Moruga Secondary not guilty of breaches

Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High and Moruga Secondary have been restored as 2023 Secondary Schools Football league (SSFL) championship central and south zone winners. The league’s arbitration committee overturned the decisions of its disciplinary and appeals committees, which found them guilty of registration breaches.

This was confirmed in a statement on Sunday from the arbitration committee (Anthony Creed, Theophilus Trim and Justin Latapy-George), which found fault with the league’s registration process. It also offered possible solutions to hinder future recurrences.

After the league championship was completed in November, the SSFL told both schools complaints had been made about their online registration, and if found guilty, they could be stripped of their zonal titles and disqualified from competing in the yet-to-start Big 5 tournament.

On November 21, the schools met the league’s disciplinary committee (Gerald Elliot, Trevor Bridgelalsingh, Roger Martin) separately to respond to claims that they failed to register players “at least 72 hours before the start of the match in which that player is to take part” – mandated by article 16 of the league’s constitution.

Additionally, Moruga were also penalised for submitting an incomplete registration form “without the principal’s signature and or the school stamp,” which could jeopardise their entire season.

After hearing their statements, the disciplinary committee found both schools guilty of breaching player registration rules. Both appealed the decisions and met with the appeals committee on December 5.

The appeals committee (Derek West, Rudolph Hope and Forbes Persad) upheld the decisions of the disciplinary committee. Both schools exercised their last chance to be heard by taking the matter to the arbitration committee.

The arbitration committee firstly noted that the SSFL’s credential committee comprised general secretary Azaad Khan and zonal secretaries Gerald Elliot (south) and Roger Martin (north).

On Miracle Ministries, it said, “The disciplinary report committee comprised Gerald Elliot and Roger Martin, who are members of the credential committee,which can be construed as a conflict of interest.”

This, the report said, “makes the disciplinary committee’s report invalid.”

Additionally, the arbitration committee also pointed out that the league fell short in its registration process and needs to revisit its procedure “as internal deficiencies in this regard could bring the league into disrepute.”

The statement continued, “Evidently, schools have no official knowledge (of) whether their registration is valid/invalid before the season/match and schools only know of an invalid registration at some point during or after the season, when a protest is lodged.

“This is extremely unfair to the schools and has the potential to undermine the efforts of the SSFL to continue to provide its stakeholders with a reputable co-curricular sporting opportunity. The to ensure that there is validity before the start of the season/match.”

It added that the credential committee needs to take a more proactive role in validating schools’ registration and that this needs to be done in a way that allows matches to start/end as the fixtures dictate.

In conclusion, the report suggested the league “establish a help desk for the online registration process and communicate this information to stakeholders, inclusive of a deadline(s) to access the support of this desk.

“Furthermore, recommendation is hereby made for an independent disciplinary committee to be established to review the processes of the credential committee on the 2023 registration of Miracle Ministries High.”

Moruga’s complaint was similar: they had received their player registration cards without any issue being communicated until after the season, despite submitting their registration without the principal’s signature and school stamp. They were also charged with registering player Vernon Gomez outside the 72-hour window before match day.

Both disciplinary and appeals committees found them guilty of registration breaches.

The arbitration committee thought otherwise.

Its statement read, “The SSFL constitution indicates the time for a valid registration as 72 hours before a match but does not indicate feedback to schools for a valid registration whether electronically or in writing.

“Although the constitution is silent on the matter of feedback, it may be considered as flawed until a vote is taken on the matter. Moruga Secondary reported receipt of players’ identifications which may constitute valid registration.”

The committee also made the same suggestion to the SSFL to prevent further such incidents.

Both schools had their points restored, will keep their zonal championship titles and now await confirmation of when the Big 5 kicks off. Also expected to feature in the Big 5 are zonal winners Blanchisseuse Secondary (north), Signal Hill (Tobago), St Augustine Secondary (east).

Newsday contacted Moruga coach Andy Joseph for a comment on his team’s victory but he declined.

Up to press time, Miracle Ministries’ coach was yet to respond to questions sent.

This story was originally published with the title SSFL arbitration rules in favour of Moruga, Miracle Ministries" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Moruga Secondary will remain champions of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) south championship, after the SSFL arbitration committee found flaws in the decisions by the disciplinary committee and appeals committee to punish the school for registration breaches.

Moruga finished the SSFL 2023 season unbeaten and six points clear of Ste Madeleine Secondary, and had their sights set on the Big 5 competition with promotion in mind.

However, Moruga were later found guilty of submitting their player registration form without the signature of their principal and school stamp, and also fielding a player who was not registered 72 hours before a match. The school had faced relegation owing to the breaches.

In a media release on Sunday, the SSFL announced that its arbitration committee has quashed the previous decisions and urged the SSFL to review its registration practices as "internal deficiencies in this regard could bring the league into disrepute."

The committee noted that Moruga Secondary reported receipt of players’ IDs which may constitute valid registration for the season.

The committee said a help desk should be established as "schools have no official knowledge whether their registration is valid/invalid before the season/match and schools only know of an invalid registration, at some point during or after the season, when a protest is lodged.

"This is extremely unfair to the schools and has the potential to undermine the efforts of the SSFL to continue to provide its stakeholders with a reputable co-curricular sporting opportunity."

The committee noted that Moruga player Veron Gomez was not properly registered before playing a match against Point Fortin East Secondary, and the punishment for that breach stands.

Meanwhile, the committee also noted similar SSFL internal deficiencies with regard to Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School, who topped the central zone.

The disciplinary and appeals committees had found that Miracle Ministries documents were "not an official document from the web page (SSFL) and copy of registration.”

The arbitration committee also took issue with the composition of the disciplinary committee, with members from the credential committee also functioning in dual capacity. "This situation can be viewed as a conflict of interest and makes the disciplinary committee’s report invalid."

The arbitration committee quashed the previous rulings and restored Miracle Ministries' points.