- St. Joseph’s Boys High School has appealed for a speedy determination of a football eligibility dispute involving county champions St. Anthony’s Boys.
- The school says the case should be resolved before the Rift Valley regional championships begin.
- Sports and education officials are expected to determine whether competition regulations were breached.
St Joseph’s Boys High School has called on Trans Nzoia County Director of Education Dr Pamela Akello to urgently determine a football eligibility dispute involving county champions St. Anthony’s Boys, warning that further delays could disrupt preparations for the forthcoming Rift Valley regional championships in Narok County.
The appeal follows St. Anthony’s Boys’ 1-0 victory over St. Joseph’s Boys in the Trans Nzoia County Secondary Schools Sports Association (TCSSSA) boys’ football final played at Transcend Stadium on June 17.
St. Joseph’s Boys has reportedly lodged a formal complaint alleging that one of the players who featured for St. Anthony’s Boys was irregularly transferred and lacked the necessary clearance to participate in the competition.
The school further claims that the player is a student of Kisumu Day School and was therefore ineligible to represent St. Anthony’s Boys.
In its appeal, St. Joseph’s Boys urged Dr Akello to exercise the authority vested in her office without yielding to pressure, threats or intimidation and to ensure that fairness, transparency and adherence to the rules guide the determination of the matter.
The school argued that the dispute should be resolved without further delay to allow the rightful county representatives sufficient time to prepare for the regional championships.
Counterclaim emerges
The dispute has, however, taken another twist after St. Anthony’s Boys also questioned the eligibility of a goalkeeper registered by St. Joseph’s Boys.
Reports indicate that the goalkeeper in question did not feature in any match during the county competition.
The controversy has now shifted from the football pitch to the boardroom, with education and sports officials expected to examine the claims and determine whether any competition regulations were violated.
Stakeholders have pointed to the recent handling of the Bwake Boys rugby eligibility case, which was reportedly resolved promptly, and are now calling for similar urgency in resolving the football dispute.
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The matter has attracted significant attention from players, coaches, teachers and football fans across Trans Nzoia County, with many awaiting a verdict that could determine the county’s representatives at the Rift Valley regional championships.
By Jeff Kirui
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