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Ricky
Swen Denies $100,000 Claim Report
By Omari Jackson
Jackson_omari@hotmail.com
ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Indonesia-based Liberian soccer international, now
turned promoter, Ricky Swen, says there is no truth in the report
that he misrepresented the Liberia Football Association, and
received USD$100,000 from the Indonesian Football Association.
In a telephone conversation, which was followed by a press release
sent to me Tuesday night, Swen said through his involvement, the
Indonesian Football Association agreed to sponsor the Liberia
National Soccer Team, for a friendly international match, to prepare
the host nation as it co-host the Asian Nations Cup.
"The Indonesians were prepared to sponsor a 28-man contingent at a
total cash value of USD$30, 000," Swen said, adding, "the team would
have been placed in a 5-star hotel, and provided with three meals a
day."
The former Fulani and Lone Star defender, explained that he
contacted Mr. George Williams, the secretary general of the LFA, who
said the Lone Star was preparing for an impending engagement, and
needed more time for the game.
"In addition, Mr. Williams suggested that Liberia will need
USD$50,000 for her participation," Swen said. He added that the
secretary general's counter offer could not be accepted since the
Indonesian football authorities were not inviting the team for any
kind of competition that was expected to generate the money the
secretary general was suggesting.
"As I continued to discuss the issue with the LFA, Jamaica and Oman
had already accepted the offer, since it was an opportunity to
expose their players on their respective national teams," the man,
who described himself as a "benevolent promoter," said.
Ricky Swen, presently the deputy managing director and chief
executive officer of Kubba Fashions Singapore, said at no time did
the Indonesian Football Association gave him a "cent" for the
Liberia Football Association, and neither did he misrepresent the
LFA, since the secretary general was aware of the entire program.
He quoted the recent FIFA rankings for global soccer nations, and
said, "Liberia is ranked 128 and may not worth even USD$25,000. So
for anyone to believe that such a rank can generate USD$100,000 is
to suggest that the Indonesians don't have any value for their
money."
Swen said anyone interested can call the Indonesian Football
Association, (+62-21-570-4762) and ascertain the fact.
He revealed that Mr. Williams could not account for his (Ricky
Swen's) personal USD$500 (five hundred US dollars) that he had sent
him to procure passports for him and his brother.
"He's been running away from me and will not give me my money and
maybe what he is doing is another way to get me off his back," Ricky
Swen said, in a press release.
He also revealed that he had arranged an international friendly
between Liberia and Lesotho for May 23 in Monrovia but was cancelled
because the LFA wanted participation fee before committing the team,
for a match that could have conditioned the Lone Star before their
encounter, which they lost, against Cameroon on June 3.
"It will appear that the LFA looks at the development of the Lone
Star from difficult lenses," Swen, also an international players'
agent, said. "My recent arrangement with the Sierra Leone Football
Association for a friendly match with the Lone Star was also spurned
by the LFA."
Swen, now married to an Indonesian beauty, and blessed with a son,
said he has a sports wear trade mark, called Kubba, a term used in
Liberia to indicate anyone who cannot easily be fooled, said his
company sports sporting goods with kubba as a brand name.
Meanwhile he said when the secretary general could not confirm
Liberia's participation, after Lone Star had been publicized for the
tournament; he had no choice but to hurriedly arrange a selected
side of a team comprising 95% Liberians for the tournament.
"Therefore it was changed from an international friendly to an
international selection," he said.
He said despite the attempt to smear his reputation, he would
continue to seek ways to improve Liberian soccer, and soccer players
abroad. And meanwhile, urged the Liberia Football Association and
the Ministry of Youth and Sports to find a way to co-exist, and
allow those who have chosen to seek international offers for the
country to be respected abroad. |
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