Consequences have followed the TCS HS Boy’s Soccer Team after a fight took place during semifinals in this years High School Binationals in Barranquilla, and it hasn’t been easy for all.

The team has now been suspended for a period of one year as a consequence of fighting which is highly discouraged in the games. They will not be able to participate in the 2018 Binationals which will take place here at TCS on November. Red cards, fouls, and pushing was all there was until the match was brought to an end.

“The game was already heated but nothing out of the ordinary, then several of our players were taken out but it was not during the problem,” related Santiago Velez, Senior and team captain. “One of the Bolivar players fouls me pretty hard and my teammates come to defend me and those of Bolivar to his partner; then they started pushing but it wasn’t anything serious at all.”

Many of the players have been greatly affected by this event. Not only were these Binationals the last for the current seniors but also the last for the juniors as they won’t be able to have theirs next year.

“I may have not been part of the fight but I am still part of the team and since we became a family then the consequences are for everyone,” mentions Simon Pelaez, 11th grade team member. “Unfortunately those things happen and one does not have much to do.”

The suspension also hit coaches Urbano Mesa and Luis Fernando Rodriguez pretty hard, they had never experienced something similar. They were in no way involved in the fight and ended up paying for the team’s irresponsible behavior. Also the school’s reputation was impacted, as the other schools will now see all the teams as trouble makers.

“We as a school must assume the sanction that the regulation sets regardless of whether it seemed fair or not, that is called taking the decision with dignity and above all thinking first of what we did that merits suspension and not thinking about others,” reflects Luis Fernando Rodriguez, assistant coach.

Only a few hours after the fight went down, KCP (Karl C. Parrish, school in Barranquilla) directors, Binationals organizers, sports coordinators, and TCS HS Principal Roger Arbabi had already decided to suspend TCS Boy’s Soccer from the tournament.

“We are affected by our image given to the other participants and the school because the values ​​that they taught us were not reflected,” said Velez.