No final for JC as ISSA upholds Walker Cup ban

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has upheld its ban on Jamaica College (JC), rejecting the school's appeal after it was removed from the Walker Cup for using an ineligible player. ISSA imposed the sanctions over the eligibility of footballer Jamone Lyle on October 13, days before the Walker Cup final set for Friday, October 16. The decision was shared via press release Friday morning, with ISSA indicating the Executive Committee has upheld all decisions made by the disciplinary committee. JC Board of Management Chairman Lance Hylton said the appeal had been lodged within 24 hours of the ruling, describing the penalties as “unsupportable, extreme and excessive”. READ: JC appeals ISSA sanctions over Jamone Lyle, says procedure was unfair The sanctions followed a ruling that JC fielded an ineligible player after Lyle was found to have a professional contract with Waterhouse Football Club, making him ineligible for schoolboy football under ISSA regulations. JC was subsequently removed from the Walker Cup, banned from next year’s competition and ordered to forfeit its Manning Cup second-round match against St Catherine, which it had won 3-2. The game result was reversed to a 3-0 victory for St Catherine. The decision also paved the way for Kingston College (KC) to face Mona High in Friday’s Walker Cup final, after Mona lost to JC in the semi-final on penalties.