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At LFA
Extra-Ordinary Congress: 6 Executive Committee Members Booted Out
Monday, 2nd April 2007
Six Executive Committee members were over the weekend booted out of
the Executive Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) at
an extraordinary of that body held at the YMCA in Monrovia.
Those thrown out of the LFA Executive Committee are Premiership
representatives, Rodney Wilson and Mustapha Raji, 1st division
representatives, Kadiattu Findley and Peter Kabia, 2nd division
representatives, Abayomie Caulcrick and Uriah Glaybo.
The extraordinary, which came about due to the mediation of the
Liberia national Olympic Committee was one of heavy tension and
argument.
Serving as Master of Ceremony, the Secretary General of the LFA
began activities with roll call, taking due note of absentees.
The first tension erupted when the Chairman on Women Soccer, Mr.
David Kortie raised concerns on why women football was not included
in the agenda. Despite attempts by the chief mediator and others to
have him understand why women football was not part of the conflict
and as such no need to have them included in the agenda, Mr. Kortie
could barely understand as their reasons were unjustifiable to him
to request his presence.
Another sticky issue arising at the congress was the withdrawal
letter from CAF, FIFA and other world organization on the removal of
the Secretary General.
Prior to the calling of congress, the mediator in the crisis had
requested that some members of the LFA Executive Committee withdraw
a vote of no confidence letter written to CAF, FIFA and other
sporting bodies against the Secretary General. The mediator also
requested that everything return to the status quo until the outcome
of the extraordinary, but that the withdrawal letter serves as a
prerequisite for congress.
A t the Congress, the President of the LFA, Cllr. Sumo Izetta
Wesley, informed the chief mediator, the delegates and others in
attendance that she communicated to CAF on March 26 to ascertain as
to whether they have received the letter of withdrawal. She said on
the 28th of March, she received a communication from that august
body that no such communication has been received.
Contrary to the President’s claim, the accused party announced that
they did communicate to CAF and FIFA by way of fax, withdrawing
their vote of no confidence letter. Their withdrawal letter was read
by Mr. Mustafa Raji and a fax receipt displayed to authenticate that
indeed the withdrawal letter was sent.
With the claim and counterclaim, there was no alternative but to
call the offices of CAF and FIFA to ascertain who was actually
telling the truth. In the process, the body was informed that
congress had to go ahead because information received says CAF and
FIFA offices are normally closed on weekends.
The congress was full of tense moments but things were brought under
control with the chief mediator, Mr. Philipbert Brown, playing a
major role.
Presided over by the President of the FA, Cllr. Sumo Izetta Wesley,
the various divisions were called out to read their resolutions
beginning with the Premier division. Boldly and without any
hesitation, representatives from the three divisions read their
resolutions written to the FA Secretariat on the withdrawal of their
representatives from the LFA Executive Committee.
After each resolution was read, the MC, LFA Secretary, George W.
Williams, announced those withdrawing their signatures since
receiving the resolution.
After the reading of the resolution, each affected Executive
Committee member was given time to respond to the resolution.
Eleven others were selected at random and also given the opportunity
to react to the resolution.
Although the LNOC President, Mr. Philipbert Brown had days earlier
rejected call by one faction of the crisis to preside over the
congress, he was seen taking over this session and the rest of the
congress, as huge tension was continuously mounting.
Taking over, Mr. Brown said, “I am forced to take over this aspect
of congress because the other party is claiming that the president
will be biased in the selection of individuals to speak”.
After each of the selected individuals had spoken, roll call was
carried out to ensure that all premier, 1st and 2nd division teams
were fully represented. Beginning with the premiership division
where 7 out of 12 clubs voted in favor of removing both of their
representatives and then the 1st division, where again 7 out of 12
clubs voted in favor of removing both of their representatives and
finally the 2nd division, where 8 out of 14 clubs voted against
their representatives and wanted them out.
After the voting process there was an enormous commotion that forced
congress to recess. The ousted members contended that they could not
be removed from office on a simple majority. Some of them vowed to
take the matter to court, claiming that congress needed 2/3rd from
each of the division to have them removed.
After recess, the President of the LNOC returned to the podium where
he disclosed that during recess, observers from the LNOC met and
decided that the outcome of the vote will stand based on the
constitution of the FA. He said any other person raising contention
could take their grievances to the Court of Arbitration, the Court
responsible for sports.
He said although the LNOC was accepting the result of the vote, the
new nominees from the clubs could not be taken into consideration.
He said this was intended for all the parties to go back and jointly
select their representatives to the LFA Executive Committee. He said
he wanted all clubs to partake and not just by a few individuals.
Mr. Brown said on Monday, Premier teams would meet at the
headquarters of the LNOC where they will submit the names of the new
representatives. Likewise, he said, 1st and 2nd division team will
also meet at the LNOC headquarters on Tuesday and Wednesday
respectively to decide the new representatives.
Meanwhile, at the end of congress, several ousted members of the LFA
Executive Committee refused to talk to our reporter. But Mr. Mustafa
Raji who reluctantly spoke to reporters said leaving the executive
committee does not in any way mean he was leaving football. He said
he still had a team as part of the Liberia Football Association and
so he was going to remain constructively engage in football
activities.
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