The Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) has softened its stand and revoked the two-year ban on the hockey and football teams of St Stanislaus High School (Bandra) and Naval Public School (Colaba)
The schools were banned on disciplinary grounds after Stanislaus made their U-12 players wear black arm-bands in protest of a decision and having created problems during the U-14 football and U-16 hockey prize distribution ceremonies, while Naval PS created a ruckus during their U-16 hockey match against Don Bosco (Matunga) last season.
And yesterday though MSSA decided to revoke the bans during an executive committee meeting at their office in Azad Maidan, a fine was imposed on both schools and their teams were demoted.
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“We realised that our ban would shatter the dreams of a number of children eager to represent their schools at MSSA tournaments. So, for the larger interest of sports and children, the committee felt we should revoke the ban. But we cannot let them go scot-free and have imposed a fine R10,000 each on both the schools. Besides, Stanislaus’ U-12 ‘B’ football team has been demoted from Div II to Div III while Naval Public’s U-14 football team will now play in Div II instead of Div I,” MSSA president Fr Jude Rodrigues told MiD DAY.
MSSA further cracked the whip on the schools’ coaches, who were also guilty of indiscipline. “While Naval Public School have initiated action against their erring coach, Stanislaus has not done so. Hence, we have decide to suspend three of their coaches Jubal Solomon, Hycinth Cardoz and Trevor for a period of two years,” added Fr Rodrigues.u00a0
MSSA league delayed by a week
The annual MSSA football season has been delayed by a week to accommodate the inaugural DSO-MSSA knock-out tournaments, it was learnt yesterday. “The U-14 and U-17 knock-out tournaments for boys and girls will start from July 26, while MSSA’s league tournaments will begin in the first week of August,” informed MSSA football secretary Xavier Faria.
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