A Calabar High School parent (left) is held by a plain-clothes policeman, folowing his assault on a Jamaica College player during the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup senior schoolboy football match at Constant Spring Complex on Tuesday.

ISSA acts tough against Calabar, Holmwood

The disciplinary committee of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has come down hard on Calabar High and Holmwood Technical for breaches of its rules in the urban area Manning Cup and rural area daCosta Cup football competitions.

Calabar, who committed two breaches, have had their home ground put on probation for one year after it was alleged that a referee's tyre was slashed in a Manning Cup match against Excelsior earlier in the season.

The other breach involving the Red Hills Road-based Calabar stems from the action by one of their supporters, Paul Marsh, a parent who infamously ran unto the field on Wednesday to confront a Jamaica College player who had tackled his son.

Marsh has been banned from all ISSA-organised matches for a period of three years.

two breaches

As it relates to Holmwood, who also committed two breaches, they have had their home ground banned for the 2010 season following two separate stone-throwing incidents earlier this year.

The Manchester-based Holmwood also had their Under-16 coach, Andrew Perkins, banned for five years, from November 6, 2009 to Novermber 6, 2014, after it was revealed that the school used an ineligible player, Roneil Scott, during the said competition.

Scott has been banned for two years.

The penalties were handed down following a meeting between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association at the JFF's office on Thursday to address concerns with the schoolboy competitions.

According to a JFF press release, at that meeting it was decided that the strongest action should be taken following the ugly incident which disrupted a Manning Cup match between Jamaica College and Calabar on Tuesday.

The JFF had also strongly recommended that Calabar not play another match before the necessary disciplinary action was taken against guilty parties.

Tuesday's invasion of the field by a parent to assault a Jamaica College player because he thought the player had dealt unfairly with his son was one of a number of violent incidents this season.

Among the changes to be made for the remaining games in both the daCosta Cup Manning Cup competitions is the coordination of ISSA with the JFF with respect to the suitability of venues for games.

A decision was also taken to have JFF vice-president in charge of competitions, Raymond Anderson, and member of the JFF Security Committee, Carlton Dennis, assigned to help fine-tune the security plan.

A decision was also taken that ISSA will appoint a game day operations manager who will ensure the smooth running of activities for the games. The duties of the game day operations manager would be similar to that of a JFF match commissioner.

The release added that "there must be a strengthening of ISSA's secretariat support both in numbers and competencies".

To aid in the early dispensation of disciplinary matters it was decided that match reports should be submitted within a maximum 48 hours and 24 hours in the case of an incident. With that being done, ISSA will be in a position to deal with all incidents within 72 hours of occurrence.

In a bid to have uniformity in terms of how decisions are handled, an agreement was reached that the daCosta Cup will decide on a fixed panel for disciplinary committee.

COMPULSORY SEARCH

On game days all spectators will face a compulsory search. It will now be mandatory for a public address system to be in place and there will be an established standard of music to be played. The JFF is also to meet with ISSA to review the regulations for the 2010/2011 schoolboy football season.

There was also a pledge that ISSA would strengthen its communication to fans, players, parents, and address the deportment at games through the current school structure and all other opportunities available.

Dad says 'I'm sorry'

Paul Marsh, the infamous Calabar High parent who ran on to the field and abused a Jamaica College player during an ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup match on Tuesday, is asking the country to forgive him.

In a one-page letter sent to ISSA two days following the incident Marsh, who was subsequently banned from attending matches organised by ISSA for three years, explained that he allowed his emotions to get the better of him, an incident he regrets.

"I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me," he said in the letter, which was issued to various media houses.

"After seeing my son being kicked by a Jamaica College player and then being elbowed by the same player, I lost control and reacted in a manner that I have come to regret," Marsh said.

He continued: "On reflection, my actions were not what a father should convey to a son, especially in contact sport like football.

"Please convey my sincere apologies to ISSA, the Jamaica College school community, the Calabar community and finally, the wider Jamaican public, which saw my actions portrayed on television."