A Massachusetts high school boys lacrosse team forfeited its state semifinal game after photos surfaced online of six members of the team allegedly smoking cigars after their graduation, breaking a rule in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic’s Association tobacco policy.

Dispute Over Cigars

One of the students involved claimed the cigars were fake, made of tea leaves, as they were aware of the rule and didn’t want to jeopardize the team going into their ‘Final Four’ game. However, Ipswich High School superintendent Brian Blake and Principal Jonathan Mitchell refuted those claims, stating that they wanted to ensure an ‘accurate account’ of what transpired was being presented to the public.

The school became aware of two photographs on the Internet of six lacrosse players who appeared to be smoking cigars. The statement claimed only one of two photos had been presented to the media. The second photograph showed the cigars smoked down significantly, a cloud of smoke surrounding one of the students, and a torch-type lighter visible in the hand of another of the students.

Investigation and Forfeiture

Administrators commenced an investigation, including interviewing the involved students and/or their parents and giving them the opportunity to explain their version of events. The student involved told Fox News Digital that his father called the cigar shop in Ipswich and asked for fake cigars so the kids could follow the tradition of smoking cigars after graduation.

The school’s statement said the receipt supporting the claim of the fake cigars had the time and date smudged out. Upon seeing the smudged receipt, the administration concluded that a violation of the Chemical Health policy had been committed and proceeded to inform the families of the six players that they were suspended.

The team was on the bus when they first learned of the suspensions and that, when they first boarded the bus, they thought they would be allowed to play. The student involved said ‘everybody was in shock’ and that ‘we really didn’t know what to do.’ The final decision came from Blake, the superintendent.

An attorney representing one of the parents of the students involved provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to questions about officials’ allegations that the cigars were not ‘fake’ and that the students were responsible for the forfeiture. The statement claimed that Blake allegedly had a bias against the athletes of the school.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.