MYS
Turns Down L-Sporto Invitation
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Deputy Min Marbue Richards
Thursday, 28th June 2007
By Michael Gebeh
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has denied the Liberia Football
Association the opportunity to honour the invitation sent to the
local FA from L-Sporto for the Lone Star to participate in an
eight-nation tournament slated to take place in India.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports denied the invitation on grounds
that it had earlier halted the contract between the LFA and L-Sporto;
the international sporting firm which is serving as one of the
co-sponsors of the Indian tournament. The Ministry’s reaction was in
response to the LFA formal letter requesting endorsement from the
government for the national team’s participation in the tournament.
Addressing a news conference yesterday in the conference room at the
Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Deputy Minister for
Administration, Jeremiah Walterspoon said they would have responded
to the LFA’s letter in a conventional manner but as they received
the letter, it was simultaneously observed that the information had
already been published in the newspapers. He said it seems that this
was calculated in order to tie the Ministry’s hand.
Mr. Witherspoon said the Ministry has taken decision on the whole L-Sporto
deal. He said the contract signed between the FA and L-Sporto has
been cancelled and is considered null and void. “As far as we are
concerned, the national team will not participate in any arrangement
involving L-Sporto especially under the current deal. We will not
deal with them; the national team will not respond to any invitation
that will be extended by L-Sporto.”
Responding to questions from journalists, Minister Witherspoon said,
had the invitation being from a different entity other than L-Sporto,
the Ministry would have dealt with it according to the
circumstances. He said they were not going to deal with L-Sporto
because the entity was shadowed by credibility problems.
The Deputy Sports Minister said that according to the written
invitation, L-Sporto intends to deal with the FA in light of the
contract and is making arrangements in a way that the Ministry
cannot have anything to do with. He noted that the issue of money in
the tournament was not just all to it but that L-Sporto was
requesting a new team manager and a head coach; something which is
not feasible as the national team is already well organized.
When the acting FA president was contacted via phone last evening,
Pennoh Bestman said his association would give no credence to the
Ministry’s response through the press.
Mr. Bestman said the FA’s duty was to have the Ministry informed
about the invitation and await a professional response from them. He
said it is very unprofessional to call a conference to respond to an
official communication to that Ministry.
“I need them to professionally answer us. We need a response; we
will not put the newspapers on our folders. We need to develop the
national team in this country,” Mr. Bestman added. He said as far as
he is concerned, he does not know how the communication was
published in the newspaper but that does not give the Ministry the
edge not to reply the FA formally if they would partake or not in
the tournament.
Mr. Bestman said that is why developmental activities are backwards
in this country but concluded that a press conference needs to be
attended by parties concerned; therefore if the Ministry will not
take part they should do so through a formal communication because,
besides the sentiments being inserted, the FA did not write them
officially.
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