THERE could be more drama involving Jamaican high school teams to the 121st staging of the Penn Relays Carnival which starts tomorrow morning at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

One local coach has threatened to protest the inclusion of at least two athletes whom he claims have used up their four years of eligibility, but have been included in their team to take part.

One of the athletes in question transferred from one school to the other and had competed at the relay carnival while attending the first institution.

“This rule has affected me in the past, and we all know the rules and there can be no excuses,” the coach, who asked that his name not be revealed, said.

According to the Penn Relays rules, high school athletes can only compete at the meet for four years, and the eligibility period begins the first time their names were entered for the event.

Since the rule has been enforced, there have been a number of athletes from Jamaican and other Caribbean countries who have been disqualified from participation due its misinterpretation.

Coaches and managers have interpreted the rule to mean five times, so if an athlete misses a year or two they can return even if the four years have run out.

Earlier this week, the coach of a top school told the Jamaica Observer he will not sit back and allow athletes to compete against his athletes unfairly.

“We all know the rules of the Penn Relays, and we must abide by them,” the coach asserted. “We must compete fairly, and in the past there were excuses that the rule was not clear, but this cannot be so now.”

Asked if he would file a protest against the team if the athletes took to the track, the coach emphatically said he would. “Of course, I would, it is not fair that an athlete should be allowed to run a fifth year, against the rules, it is cheating.”