Apparently, the association had been alerted to the fact that the Gwen Lizarraga male football team had used an ineligible player in this year?s tournament. In an emergency meeting summoned by the CSSSA, it was decided that the CSSSA Standing Policies should prevail. This policy specifically states that, ?If a team is found to have won a game with an ineligible player on the game roster, it will be considered to have lost the game.? Because of the ruling, Gwen Lizarraga have lost ALL their games and points in this year?s tournament. It must be noted that the press release did not state that the Gwen Lizarraga team was disqualified from the tournament.

Kareem Abdulh McKoy is 23 years of age, according Ms. Lovinia A. Daniels, registrar at the Vital Statistics Unit. Teachers refer to him as a role model student. He has good grades; he is well mannered and has the respect of students and teachers alike. After all, he is the president of the current student body. At first glance or maybe even second, you may still not believe he is as old as stated in the records. He is the second shortest player on the team, standing about 5?-2?? in height.

Gwen Lizarraga has a well-rounded football team that I believe could compete at the semi-pro level. They are loaded with superstars, but Kareem is not one of them. He is a team player no doubt, silent in his efforts but effective nonetheless. What would possess Kareem Abdulh McKoy, to resort to actions unbecoming a role model student, if that is the case?

For the past four years, Gwen Lizarraga High School, located on the Southside of Belize City, and St. John?s College, located on the North, have dominated the Central Division Secondary School football. Gwen Liz won the Central Division championship last year and successfully defended the title this year in an epic three-game series, which culminated last Friday evening at the MCC Garden.

Kareem, now a fourth year student, had been playing since 2003. I believe that there was a failure to conduct due diligence on the part of the school, associations/committees and Belize Social Security. Kareem McKoy must also share a part of that responsibility, for failure to clarify the particulars regarding his age. Upon entering Gwen Lizarraga High, apparently Kareem was not required to present his birth certificate. Also, it was only until January 2005 that the Committee had requested a birth certificate.

But there is a sequence of events to consider. In the semi-final match played on March 2, 2006, Ladyville Technical High lost to St. John?s College by a score of 3-0. During the game, a player from the Ladyville Tech team was red-carded. Furthermore, I was informed that the team was also suspended due to some verbal threats that were directed at the referees who had to be escorted into the pavilion while under security.

On March 7, 2006, SJC and Gwen Liz played the first game of the championship series. SJC lost the game by a score of 4-3, and one of their players was ejected from the game for a red-card infraction. In addition, one of the game?s linesmen had also reported that he was verbally threatened by a fan and/or student from SJC.

It is my understanding that the Ethics Committee was to have met and issued.