Berlin High School's football program, which self-reported the use of ineligible players and recruitment to the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, must forfeit all seven of its wins this season and is prohibited from participating in the 2015 Class M playoffs.

The CIAC Board of Control, which has been investigating Berlin's self-report for weeks, made the announcement on Wednesday. In accepting the self-report, which involved the alleged recruitment of players from out of town, the CIAC voted to impose a one-year probation on the football program and a $4,000 fine ($1,000 for each ineligible player).

In addition to those sanctions, the four ineligible athletes are ineligible to participate in any sports should they choose to remain at Berlin, and if any of the four athletes transfer to another CIAC school they will be ineligible to participate in athletics for the remainder of the 2015-16 school year and 50 percent of the 2016 fall season.

The Hartford Courant, which obtained records under the Freedom of Information Act, reported earlier this week that the investigation centered around allegations that Berlin coach John Capodice actively recruited players from neighboring New Britain.

According to the FOI report obtained by the Courant, Berlin principal Francis T. Sweeney wrote a self-reporting letter to the CIAC on Oct. 20 which said the school was aware of "allegations of not only falsification of residency of one or more members of the Berlin High School football team, but also accusations of active recruitment of out of town football players to our team."

Records of the investigation, according to the Courant report, said that 15 middle and high school boys had left the New Britain public schools over a five-year period and enrolled in Berlin. Six of those students joined the Berlin football team.

Capodice, through his counsel, has denied those reports.

Berlin began the day ranked seventh in the Class M playoff rankings (the top eight schools qualify). They are scheduled, ironically, to finish the regular season on Friday night at New Britain.

Berlin's disqualification from the playoffs moves St. Joseph (6-2) up to seventh and East Haven (7-2) up to eighth. East Haven, which was on the bubble, can now qualify for the first time in program history with a victory of Branford. Berlin was also a potential first round opponent for Ledyard, which has already secured a Class M bid.

The forfeits and disqualifications have ramifications in other classes, too.

Avon, for instance, lost 70 bonus points for its win over Berlin and saw hits chances to earn a Class L berth take a major hit.

Bloomfield, which picked up a forfeit win over Berlin, moved from fourth to second in Class S and can clinch the No. 2 seed and home game with a win over Fermi in its final game. East Catholic also saw its chances improve in Class S with a forfeit win, jumping all the way from 15th to eighth. It can now clinch a playoff berth by defeating Northwest Catholic in its final game.

n.griffen@theday.com

Twitter:@MetalNED