BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Immaculate Conception Catholic School (ICCS) was told that two of its athletes in the primary division of that learning institution would not be allowed to participate at the upcoming Inter-School Championships because they are not students of a high school.
That decision was reportedly made by organizers of the Meet and the St. Kitts and Nevis Amateur Athletics Association (SKNAAA), but it is not sitting well with representatives of the school and they have since issued a press statement to the media raising their concerns.
SKNVibes Sports understands that the two athletes, who are Grade Six students of the private learning institution, have been entered to compete in both the Primary and High School Meets.
Speaking with SKNVibes Sports, Paul Orchard, one of the school’s representatives, explained that the organizers are contending that the two athletes are not high school students because of that fact they could not compete at the Inter-Schools Championships.
This comes in the wake of the students having met the age requirement to participate in the respective categories they have entered, Paul disclosed.
“After they were registered, they said that they were not in a high school and as such they were disqualified.”
Asked if any official word was relayed to the institution, Paul respond in the negatively but quickly reiterated that “the school was told that the athletes would not be participating because they were not in a high school class”.
In an invited comment, President of the SKNAAA Glenville Jeffers explained that the institution has been competing at both the Ram’s Primary and the TDC Inter-School Championships for a number of years without any such problems.
He refuted that the body is barring the students from participating but explained that the two athletes in question are in Grade Six or the primary level of the institution, and as such has not met the criteria to compete at the secondary level of the championships.
“The competition is for the Inter-School, which was formerly known as the Inter-High School Championships. So how can a primary take part in a secondary?” Jeffers questioned. “If ICCS has a secondary school then they can compete in the TDC Inter-School Championships.”
He continued: “Well there are persons who will try to rig the system, and if we see that those persons are not in a secondary school the Meet Organizer will make whatever changes to ensure that only secondary school students compete.”
Against this backdrop, Jeffers noted: “There is a very clear demarcation; there is a straight line down the road. Forty years we have been doing this...no matter their age once they are in a secondary school.”
But Paul is contending that the laws governing the competition are ambiguous and do not state that a primary student could not compete at the Secondary Championships.
SKNVibes Sports has learnt that the matter has engaged the services of several prominent lawyers in the Federation.
The Ram’ Primary School Championships will run off on March 12 and 13 along with the Carifta Games Trials, while the TDC Inter-Schools Championships will be held from March 18-20.
