Narbonne football banned from 2019 and 2020 CIF playoffs, athletic department placed on probation through 2022-23

The Narbonne High School football team has been banned from the 2019 and 2020 playoffs, according to a statement released by the LA City Section on Friday afternoon.

Narbonne, a consensus Top 10 football team in the state, violated CIF eligibility rules by allowing an ineligible player to participate in the 2018 playoffs.

Here are all of the sanctions handed down by the LA City Section:

-- Narbonne is banned from the 2019 and 2020 LA City Section football playoffs.

-- Narbonne's athletic department will be placed on probation through the 2022-23 school year.

-- Narbonne must vacate its 2018 Open Division football championship.

-- Narbonne must forfeit all games the ineligible player competed in last season, dropping its 2018 record from 10-4 to 4-10.

Narbonne has the ability to appeal the sanctions.

Here's the full statement from the LA City Section:

Narbonne High School will vacate its 2018 Open Division football championship due to a violation of CIF eligibility rules involving an ineligible player participating in the 2018 playoffs. The ineligible player was determined and confirmed after a thorough investigation by LAUSD for an allegation of institutional academic misconduct.

The ineligible player participated in regular season games on October 5, 19, and 26; CIF LA City Section playoff games on November 9, 16, and 23 (championship); and the CIF State Regional bowl game on November 30. Thus, those games are now officially deemed as forfeits. Narbonne’s overall record of 10-4 in 2018 officially becomes 4-10 and 1-3 in the Marine League.

Additionally, it has been determined that Narbonne High School has violated CIF Bylaw 202 (Accurate Information) and CIF Bylaw 206 (Residential Eligibility) during the 2019 football season. As a result, Narbonne will forfeit any game this season that an ineligible player has participated in.

Narbonne will be banned from the 2019 and 2020 CIF LA City Section football playoffs. Narbonne’s athletic program has been placed on probation from the present through the 2022-23 school year. The CIF LA City Section values the importance of academic integrity, the adherence to th standards of academic eligibility, and abiding by the rules of CIF eligibility for all student-athletes and its member schools.

LAUSD conducted a months-long investigation into Narbonne's football program, stemming from academic misconduct allegations that surfaced in early 2019.

Two staff members were removed at the beginning of LAUSD’s investigation. Narbonne football players had their phones taken and were interviewed by LAUSD investigators in May. In June, head football coach Manny Douglas was reassigned by the district.

Since the investigation started, LAUSD Local District South has brought in a new principal, a new assistant principal in charge of athletics and a new athletic director at Narbonne.

Narbonne has won the last five Los Angeles City Championships in the top division. The Gauchos' star quarterback, Jake Garcia, recently committed to USC.