Bility Plans For Cassell Again

     Front row (L-R): Musa Bility, Musa Shannon and Adolph Lawrence                              

Credible information reaching this paper revealed that a close-door meeting amongst officials of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) was allegedly held at the headquarters of the local football house with a focus on designing plans and falsehood intended to incriminate the arguably suspended FC Fassell boss Mr. Cassell A Kouh.

According to a high placed source at the local football house, some of the attendants at the meeting disagreed with the idea to incriminate innocent people at the expense of pushing the selfish interest of some individuals.

Recently, the Executive Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) bogusly suspended FC Fassell from further participation in the ongoing LFA 2011/2012 National League season.

In a communication addressed to the club, the FA accused the team’s players of involving in brutal action on match official which was proceeded with a fined of US$1500 and was later reduced toUS$1000.

The FA said that owing to the blunt refusal of FC Fassell boss to pay the balance payment for “assault on match officials by players, the Executive Committee of the LFA, have resolved to suspend the club for a year, as a way of enforcing the decision of the Committee that relates to the Rules and Regulations of the 2010/2011 League Season.

“In view of the above your club is hereby suspended from the 2011/2012 League Season (and) this suspension warrants your club’s demotion to the Third Division.”

The letter said the LFA EC made the decision on Saturday, March 31, 2012, in its regular Monthly meeting.

The letter further stated that the bravura 1st division side was found guilty and the President of FC Fassell apologized and promised to make payment as spelled out by the investigation.

The FC Fassell boss in a press conference reacted to the claims and said that he committed himself on February 19, 2011 of paying the fine in the tone of US$1,000.

Mr. Kouh divulged that he paid the full amount to the LFA and further displayed and made available copies of the receipt.

Some pundits have termed the FA action as witch hunt and however intended to undermine the progress of the club that has brought fame to Liberian football, while other said that the fine imposed on the club was not the decision of the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee, rather the secretariat which is not authorized by the regulations to impose fines.

They argued that nowhere in the world when a club is being demoted, the local FA declares the club’s players as free agents.

A follower of the game, Mr. Clarence K. Smith said that the action of the local football house does not represent a true vision to improve the Liberian game. “How can one who says that he wants to commercialize the game starts by introducing hit and run means purposely intended to bring other clubs and people who have contributed their time and resources to improve the game,” Mr. Smith wondered.

When contacted, LFA official spokesman Mr. Henry Flomo denied the allegation and stated that all punishments given Mr. Kouh and his club FC Fassell are statutory and in line with the rules and regulation of the LFA.

He further noted that the LFA is a professional entity which does not go beyond personal line.