Federations, Associations Suspended

Liberia has announced a one year suspension of all sporting federations and associations from participating in all international competitions. The action does not include football, particularly the Lone Star and Amputee.

Federations and associations affected are Track and Field, Basketball, Handball, Boxing, Wrestling and Judo. Others are Taekwondo (Karate), Volleyball, Hockey, Cricket, Golf, as well as Lawn and Table Tennis.

Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Dionysius Sebwe made the disclosure during the August edition of the Herbert Grigsby Lecture Series Wednesday in Monrovia. He said government has no regret for the decision, noting that it was in the better interest of the country for the future.

Sebwe, one of the panelists during the intellectual discourse organized by the Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL), emphasized proper adequate preparations as a way of strengthening the teams to ably represent Liberia in the future.

“Teams representing the country need adequate training and proper preparation before being our torch-bearers at the international level,” Sebwe noted. “The Ministry wants the affected federations and associations to submit a one year work plan and curriculum vitae (VC) of team coaches”.

The Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC) President Philipbert Browne, who concurred with the Ministry’s decision, said the action was intended to give the sporting organizations better days for future preparations.

“This will help us improve before participating in international sporting events, but the LNOC needs adequate budget to better-up representation at the international level,” panelist Browne noted, assuring that the LNOC would work alongside the Ministry for the implementation of the one year suspension.