The Jamaican government has given the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) the green light for the staging of schoolboy football this season. As such, ISSA said it is now finalizing arrangements to commence the Manning Cup and DaCosta Cup on Friday, November 12 or Saturday, November 13.

The respective competitions will have a different format for the coming season as, according to ISSA, for the first time in recent memory, the schoolboy football season will be divided into two segments with the preliminary rounds and quarterfinals scheduled to be completed before the Christmas Break with the knockout stages set for January 2022.

ISSA is also stipulating that it will be mandatory for all players and officials wishing to participate to have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine before the start of the competition. Failure to comply automatically renders the individual ineligible. No spectators will be allowed for at least the preliminary round of the competition.

Participating schools have also been granted approval to commence regular training activities along with joint training sessions amongst schools to facilitate preseason preparation, subject to the dictates of the Disaster Risk Management Act and final approval for such sessions by ISSA, a statement from ISSA said.

“ISSA will utilize the three weeks preceding the start of the competitions to fine-tune all execution plans with its various stakeholders, including the relevant Government Agencies,” the statement continued.

“ISSA thanks the Government of Jamaica for the confidence and trust placed in our organization. We implore all participants and the public in general, to offer us its support through their commitment to abiding by all the established and agreed protocols which facilitated the approval.”