School Games: Champs Koyonzo kicked out for fielding ineligible player
Nyota Fiddy, the Koyonzo Secondary School 15s rugby coach, congratulating his players moments after cruising to the finals on April 7, 2023.
What you need to know:
- This now means the Western Region will have a new representative at the national level, which will either be Vihiga High School or Butula Boys High School.
- The disqualification has now dented their good run remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament that saw them floor teams right from the group stages in fixtures played at St Mary’s Mundika Boys High School in Busia County.
National 15s rugby champions Koyonzo Secondary School have suffered a major blow in their bid to retain the title after they were disqualified from participating in the ongoing Western Region Secondary Schools Term One Games.
The rugby giants were accused of fielding an ineligible player during their tie against Butula Boys High School. They won the match 12- 6.
Quinto Omusugu, Western Region Secondary School Sports Association Secretary, said the axe fell on Koyonzo after a successful appeal by Butula Boys High School 15s rugby team.
“They are disqualified. I will get a report tomorrow (Saturday),” Omusugu told Nation Sport.
While details pertaining to the disqualification remain scanty, Nation Sport has established that Koyonzo is accused of fielding a player who was transferred from another school but had not completed the recommended 90 days in his new school in total contravention of the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association rules.
As has been the norm, only students who have stayed in their respective schools for at least 90 days prior to the official commencement of the term one games (at Zonal level) will be eligible for participation.
This rule does not affect form ones though, but new students in other classes must have reported to the school by 15th November of the preceding year for them to be eligible.
Koyonzo were on course to retain their of the Western Region Secondary Schools Term One Games title after beating arch-rivals Butula Boys High School to cruise to the final set for Saturday.
Koyonzo were to face Vihiga High School, who hammered Kolanya Boys High School 41-03 in the other semi-final played at the St Marys Mundika high School in Busia.
“Games will go on, because the team (Butula) that appealed had lost at the semi-finals and are given the advantage,” said Omusugu.
This now means the Western Region will have a new representative at the national level, which will either be Vihiga High School or Butula Boys High School.
The disqualification has now dented their good run remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament that saw them floor teams right from the group stages in fixtures played at St Mary’s Mundika Boys High School in Busia County.
