Jamaica College has lodged an appeal against disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association, ISSA over the use of an ineligible player, Jamone Lyle, during the current schoolboy football season.

The Old Hope Road based institution was suspended from Friday’s Walker Cup final against Kingston College and replaced by Mona.

Alrick Swaby has more.

Jamaica College has been barred from competing in next season’s Walker Cup and were also docked three points from their Manning Cup victory over St. Catherine High in which Lyle scored the winner.

Lyle is contracted with professional Premier League campaigners Waterhouse which prohibits him playing in ISSA-run competitions.

However, in a statement under the signature of board chairman Lance Hylton, the school described the sanctions as excessive and unfair, arguing that they were given less than 24 hours to prepare for an October 13 disciplinary hearing.

Hyton says the school disputes the validity of Lyle’s reported contract with Waterhouse and maintains that they were never informed by the club that the player was under a professional contract.

Hylton also accused ISSA of inconsistent enforcement of its eligibility rules, claiming similar contractual arrangements involving other schoolboy footballers have gone unpunished.

Jamaica College has since lodged complaints concerning other contractual arrangements and is awaiting an appeal hearing ahead of the Walker Cup final.

JC says it has not ruled out legal action, but fears that taking ISSA to court could expose its students to sanctions across competitions.

Hylton is also calling on Waterhouse President Donovan White to retract claims that Jamaica College had been informed about Lyle’s contract status.

Meanwhile, the first trophy in the 2026 ISSA schoolboy football season will be decided when Kingston College and Mona meet in the final of the Walker Cup knockout competition at Stadium East, on Friday starting at 4pm.

KC earned their spot in the final with a 2-1 come from behind victory over Excelsior High, while Mona was reinstated after Jamaica College was disqualified and booted from the tournament.

The corresponding rural area knockout competition, the Ben Francis final will be played on Saturday at Steths with defending champions Clarendon College facing Glenmuir in a Clarendon derby starting at 3.