Facts about the Derrel Garcia, St Benedict’s College matter

Sports Editor

After reviewing the various opinions shared on social media regarding St Benedict’s College student-athlete Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia, and the Secondary Schools Football League’s (SSFL) decision to seek legal counsel before proceeding, Guardian Media Sports takes a closer look at the key facts under consideration by the SSFL and sports lawyer Tyrone Marcus.

All indications suggest the SSFL disciplinary committee appears reluctant to deliver a verdict following their meeting.

A letter from SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan dated November 19, 2024, to principals stated, “Please be informed that the Secondary Schools Football League has sought legal advice from Mr Tyrone Marcus on the bona fide status of Master Derrel Garcia of St Benedict’s College. On receipt of the said legal advice, it shall be submitted to the Disciplinary Committee for its consideration.”

This latest decision by the SSFL means that the players, staff, and supporters of St Benedict’s College will have to wait a little longer to know if they can finally celebrate the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) in the Boys’ Premiership Division title or if the school will be stripped of its title.

The SSFL disciplinary committee, chaired by Adesh Dwarika, who is also the East Zone SSFL chairman, and including Lawrence Seepersad and Kurt Harry, met on November 15 to examine the legibility of student-player Garcia. They reviewed his participation in matches played on October 2, 5, and 7, 2024, and his student history from June 2023 to October 7, 2024, to determine whether he was a student actively attending classes at the school during this period.

This is the second matter that the disciplinary committee has been called upon to adjudicate for the 2024 season. In October, St Augustine Secondary School was penalised after Signal Hill Secondary School protested the use of two players by the school, who were deemed ineligible to play. In Garcia’s case, there were no protests lodged. However, in October, the SSFL wrote to Peter Smith, the Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education (MoE), seeking confirmation of the bona fide status of Derrel Garcia at St Benedict’s College.

The MoE conducted an investigation and the findings were submitted to the SSFL:

(a) Derrel Garcia was assigned to St Benedict’s College through the SEA 2021 placement and registered at the school on September 14, 2021;

(b) Garcia’s parents requested study leave from August 2023 to May 2024 for him to proceed on a football scholarship in Spain;

(c) For the academic year September 2023 to July 2024, he was absent for the entire period;

(d) On September 25, 2024, the parents of Derrel Garcia wrote requesting his reinstatement;

(e) Derrel Garcia resumed attendance at St Benedict’s College on October 8, 2024, verified by the Attendance Register at the school.

However, Guardian Media Sports understands that the key concern now is whether the MoE has provided the SSFL with all the necessary information for the disciplinary committee to make a fair decision.

Firstly, Derrel Garcia’s status as a student of St Benedict’s College is not in question, as confirmed in the MoE investigations at item (a) above.

The concerns for the disciplinary committee now rest with items b, c, d, and e.

The SSFL Article 16 is in keeping with the MoE’s rule regarding the registration of student.

SSFL Article 16 (Criteria for Registration) states: Before students can be accepted by the League to be registered as players to represent any team playing in the League, the following criteria must be fulfilled: (1) Students must be duly registered, according to the existing rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education and on the official roll of the school presenting the team. These students must attend classes at that school during normal school hours.

The last sentence of the rule that states, “These students must attend classes at that school during normal school hours,” has been addressed by all the findings listed to show that the student did not attended school in Form 3 from September 2023 to May 2024, and then from September 2 to October 7, 2024.

Item d answers the question as to why the student-athlete was not included in the five matches St Benedict’s played in September 2024.

The SSFL disciplinary committee can also review St Benedict’s College’s Player Registration Form, submitted by acting principal Gregory Quan Kep and stamped by the school in August 2024, which lists student-athlete Derrel Garcia as one of last year’s participants.

Finally, the MoE investigation, as outlined in item 5, confirmed that the student-athlete’s first day on the class roll as a verified student was October 8, 2024. This suggests that, according to the final sentence of Article 16, the matches in which the student-athlete participated on October 2, 5, and 7, 2024, may not have been in compliance with the rule.

The matches that Garcia played were: October 2, St Benedict’s defeated San Juan Secondary 1-0; October 5, St Benedict’s whipped Fatima College 3-1; and October 7, St Benedict’s College defeated St Anthony’s College, 2-1, in a rescheduled fixture from September 25. He did not score against San Juan but scored twice against Fatima at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin and once against St Anthony’s in Westmoorings.

With regard to items b, c, and d, Guardian Media Sports understands that St Benedict’s College did not communicate or share any information with the MoE before the investigation started.

St Benedict’s College risks a deduction of nine points and nine goals from the three matches in question that Garcia played. St Benedict’s accumulated 41 points from the 15 matches played during its unbeaten run which included two drawn contests.

The college also risks a suspension from further competition in the division for the remainder of the season.

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