Former East Africa Secondary Schools champions Sinyolo Girls High School and Barding High School have been banned from Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) Games for cheating offences.
Nyanza Region chairman Joseph Adala confirmed that the duo are among the five schools from the region banned by the Ministry of Education and will therefore be absent during this year’s school games.
Hockey power house Sinyolo Girls from Kisumu County have been handed a two-year ban alongside their coach, while 2016 East Africa football winners Barding will also serve a two-year ban as well as their coach. Others are Gesero High School, Kisii High School and Simbi Secondary School, who will also serve two-year bans.
Kwale Girls High School and Kakamega High School have however not been banned as earlier thought.
Western Region Secondary Schools Sports Association Chairman Francis Juma and the Coast Region Treasurer Twaha Mwatsahu clarified that the two football giants were simply disqualified from last year’s championships after they were found to have contravened the school games’ rules, but they were not banned.
Juma, however, confirmed that Butere Girls High School, St Peter’s Mumias Boys and Kibabii Boys Secondary school were banned for one year each after they were found guilty of fielding ineligible players and will therefore sit out this year’s school games.
“People should learn to differentiate between a ban and a disqualification. We disqualified Kakamega High School from proceeding with the school games, but never banned them which allows them to play this year”, Juma said.
On Kwale Girls, Mwatsahu clarified that only the teacher-in-charge of the team was banned and transferred, but the team was simply disqualified and will therefore be legible to participate in this year’s games.
List of schools banned by Ministry of Education
Western
St. Peters Mumias football U-19- 2 years and the coach
Butere Girls High school basketball team -1 year and the coach banned and transferred.
Kibabii High School football- 2 years
Nyanza
Sinyolo Girls Hockey- 2 years and the coach
Barding High School football U19- 2 years and the coach
Gesero High School football Boys U19-2 years and the coach plus coach transfer
Kisii High School Rugby -2 years and a coach
Simbi Secondary- 2 years and 5 years for principal/ show cause letter.