Ahead of their crucial Champions Cup semi-final against Hydel at the National Stadium today, Jamaica College (JC) Head Coach Davion Ferguson says the school has been “oppressed” by ISSA for years following a decision made to suspend their Reggae Boyz under-20 goalkeeper Tawayne Lynch for three games.

On Friday, JC beat McGrath 2-0 in the quarter-finals at the Montego Bay Sports Complex but played most of the game with 10 men as Lynch was sent off by the referee in the 15th minute for a deliberate handball outside the box, despite television replays showing he was inside his area.

The Jamaica Observer understands that ISSA’s disciplinary committee upheld the one-match ban and further gave Lynch an additional two-match ban after he reportedly used profanity in the locker room after he was sent off.

With JC in contention for the Champions Cup and the Manning Cup, it means that Lynch will be missing for the semi-finals of both competitions and potentially the final of each, if JC are to qualify.

Ferguson told the Observer that he wasn’t surprised by ISSA’s decision as he and the school have been constantly scrutinised over the years.

“I’ve always been faced with these types of situations in my years of coaching,” he said. “I’ve always been targeted. For the last two seasons especially, I realised a lot of things have gone against us in a very bad way. It’s a direct campaign against myself and the programme at Jamaica College, for whatever reason I don’t know.”

Lynch missed the entirety of the 2023 season after ISSA’s disciplinary committee ruled him ineligible to compete. Ferguson says ISSA has an agenda against Lynch.

“It’s sad when a youngster who would have been maligned last year comes back this year and has given an effort to make something of himself and obviously he has been targeted all season and it’s not the first incident that he has been involved in this season and we believe he’s been targeted. We also have information from ISSA officials also who speak openly to him in ways that we believe he’s being targeted.”

When contacted by the Observer on Tuesday ISSA President Keith Wellington declined to comment on the matter, while Manning Cup chairman Leighton Christie, who sits on the disciplinary committee, also declined comment, saying he would only be willing to address the issue once the official written report is sent to JC this morning.

Despite the situation, Ferguson says they remain steadfast in their mission at JC.

“It’s hard to ignore when those who have authority over the competition [are] definitely trying to determine the outcome of the competition. But for us, football has never changed. There are certain things we cannot and there’s certain things we can control, so what’s in our control, we’ll continue to try to control,” he said.

“Over the years, we’ve sent players professional and countless players to colleges and universities overseas and we have also maintained our winning culture so for us, it’s more than just trying to play a game of football. It’s trying to get these youngsters opportunities, and we’ll continue to do that, whether we’re being oppressed or not.”

Wednesday’s matches:

Ocho Rios vs Glenmuir @ 4:00 pm

Hydel vs JC @ 6:15 pm