Senior Multimedia Reporter
walter.alibey@guardian.co.tt
National youth coach Shawn Cooper has been hard-hit by the new Safeguarding Policy of the T&T Football Association (TTFA).
A report yesterday stated that Cooper, who recently coached the country’s Under-17 boys’ team which came within a win of qualification to the U-17 World Cup in Qatar earlier this year, was banned from coaching minors 18 years and under, due to a breach of the safeguarding policy.
The penalty came from Gary St Rose, the T&T Safeguarding, Player Care and Wellbeing manager following questions posed to the country’s U-17 players after the tournament. In an immediate response, Cooper told Guardian Media Sports he would offer a response soon.
St Rose in an interview said while he could not go into details, he pointed to the safeguarding and framework policy 3.0, saying: “At the TTFA, we have our processes and the processes were followed. The policy outlines the process that you must follow.”
Guardian Media Sports pointed to Section III and Article 29 which conveys that: “Where a person and or organisation is being investigated for abuse, a breach of the Safeguarding policy, or for a criminal offence, the TTFA shall impose conditions on that persons or organisations license to work with children, youth players and vulnerable groups.”
As a result, St Rose in a release on Saturday said, “The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) writes to advise, that by Section III Article 29 of the TTFA Safeguarding Policy and Framework 3.0, age group restrictions have been placed on the Safeguarding License of Mr Shawn Cooper.
“With immediate effect and by Section III, Article 29 Mr Shawn Cooper is prohibited from coaching youth players (18 years and under), until further notice.”
Cooper is not only known to have coached youth national boys’ and girls’ teams for many years but has also coached at the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) level for several years. He is currently the coach of Presentation College, San Fernando, the winner of the 2023 South Zone and Coca-Cola National InterCol titles.
Cooper’s defence is likely to be equipped with legal representatives as St Rose reveals the embattled coach will have the opportunity to appeal the ban. Cooper has vowed to defend his good name, saying it will be done soon.
Earlier this year, the football association at a press briefing in February, continued its strides toward the protection of children and the vulnerable with the launching of its revised Safeguarding Framework and Policy.
At the launch FIFA’s Head of Safeguarding and Child Protection Marie-Laure Lemineur, who was the featured speaker, praised the efforts of the TTFA and its stakeholders in adopting and enforcing detailed mechanisms to monitor and protect those at risk within the football ecosystem.
According to Marie-Laure Lemineur: “Not long ago the leadership of the TTFA, took a very courageous decision to embark on their safeguarding journey. Twenty-four (24) months later, this football association, has produced one of the most elaborative and complete safeguarding frameworks that I know of.
“This framework ticks all the boxes. It has the interest of the victims and the children at its heart, it defines clear mechanisms in case of incidents, it defines clear procedural rules and sanctions in case of non-compliance, it establishes licensing requirements for clubs, teams and academies and it promotes a culture of transparency and accountability.”
The Next Level Consulting Limited (NLCL) Community Cup, which is founded and run by Brian Jordan, was the first to have been penalised by way of a 90-day suspension by the TTFA Safeguarding for breach. But St Rose revealed that the period for the provisional suspension has ended and there will be no further action by the TTFA at this time.