Defending Manning Cup champions Excelsior High have apologised to their school community after being docked six points and removed from the ISSA Champions Cup for fielding an ineligible player.

The school has accepted the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association’s (ISSA) ruling, acknowledging that it failed to conduct the necessary checks to determine the student’s eligibility before allowing him to participate in the Manning Cup competition.

In a statement addressed to the Excelsior community, Principal Deanroy Bromfield confirmed that the school would not challenge the disciplinary decision, which classified the player as an international transfer student and therefore ineligible to represent the institution.

The ruling has resulted in a six-point deduction in the Manning Cup standings and Excelsior’s expulsion from the Champions Cup, dealing a blow to the school’s ambitions this season.

READ: Excelsior booted from Champions Cup, deducted six points in Manning Cup

Bromfield, however, maintained that the breach was unintentional, explaining that the student had previously attended Excelsior and represented the school for three years before leaving the institution.

“Our error was that we did not regard the student as an international student and we allowed him to play as he had established himself as a part of the Excelsior community, and had played for the school for three years prior to his departure,” Bromfield said.

“ISSA has ruled otherwise and we accept their ruling in the matter. We also accept that more due diligence must be done by us in the future with regards to these matters,” he continued.

The principal said Excelsior remained committed to developing student-athletes both academically and athletically, stressing that the school’s philosophy prioritises the overall development of young people ahead of winning.

“We have an internal motto at the school which we live by; it says: ‘We don’t buy them, we build them,” he said. “Our aim is to produce world-class athletes who are decent human beings. Winning comes second to our primary aim which is to develop athletes to perform at their full academic and athletic potential.”

Bromfield pointed to Excelsior’s record of producing national and international athletes, including Ackera Nugent, Nyoka Clunis and Neisha Burgher, who all qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games, as evidence of the institution’s commitment to sports development.

He also highlighted the school’s achievements in the Manning Cup, the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, cricket and girls’ football.

The principal apologised to the Excelsior community for the distress caused by the disciplinary decisions and appealed for continued support as the school moves forward.

“We apologise to our community for the distress these decisions have caused and ask for your understanding in the matter,” he said. “At no time was an unfair advantage being sought. The only thing in our consideration was the development of the student athlete.”

Excelsior’s removal from the Champions Cup has also created a vacancy in the competition, with Wolmer’s Boys’ High School and Kingston Technical High School set to contest a playoff to determine the replacement, according to the competition arrangements previously outlined.

The ruling brings a difficult chapter for the defending champions, who must now regroup and focus on their remaining Manning Cup campaign while ensuring that all player eligibility requirements are properly verified going forward.