CIAC Sanctions Berlin High Football; Stripped of Wins

The CIAC Board of Control voted Wednesday afternoon to accept a self-report from Berlin High School for violations of CIAC rules by its football program, stripping the team of all victories this season and banning it from championship play because of the recruitment and use of ineligible players.

The team had a 7-2 record and was ranked in the top 8 of Class M. The record now falls to 0-9.

The self-report, which was aided by an independent investigation, was for recruitment and use of ineligible players from New Britain. The list of sanctions — including probation, will follow the team into the 2016 season.

Berlin football coach John Capodice reportedly recruited players from neighboring New Britain, allegedly found housing for one family and promised another player a Division I college scholarship if the student switched teams.

Abiding by CIAC by-laws the following sanctions were approved by the Board of Control and accepted by the school.

The sanctions include:

• Forfeiture of all football victories this season in which any ineligible player participated.
• Prohibition from CIAC Championship competition for the football program for the 2015 season.
• Probation for one year for the football program (CIAC probation is defined as a period of trial during which the school is monitored to determine compliance with requirements of CIAC regulations.
• The school is fined $4,000 ($1,000 for each ineligible player).
• The ineligible athletes will be permanently ineligible to participate in athletic competition if they remain at Berlin high school.
• If the ineligible students transfer to another CIAC member school they will be ineligible to participate in athletic competition for the remainder of the 2015-16 school year and 50% of the 2016 fall season.