Sports
Minister Asked To Think Again
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
The Minister of Youth and Sport has been asked to
rescind the decision to exclude foreign-based players from Liberia's
remaining five matches in the 2006 Nations and World Cup qualifiers.
The decision was taken due to "lack of money" and doubt over the Lone
Star's qualification.
The Promoters of Liberian Athletes (PROLA), however,
termed the decision as a "sad mistake on the part of the Minister of
Youth and Sport."
Instead of inviting players from overseas for
quick results, PROLA thinks the Lone Star's participation should be
for the sake of building a team for the future.
Through its President Joseph H. Farkollie,
PROLA said Mali, though lying below Liberia in Group One, continues to
call overseas players after investing plenty of dollars in the
campaign.
"Rome was not built overnight, so we must
continue with the current team. We should put aside the defeated
attitude."
The group advised the Sport Minister: "we have
players in the Sub-region if it will be costly to bring players from
outside Africa."
PROLA said the Sport Minister should be the
last person to say such. "She should withdraw her statement."
PROLA thinks the current collection of players,
be it local or pro, could last for the next five years.
"We have serious problem with Wheatonia
Dixon-Barnes on the issue of the foreign-based players. Government
should do everything to make sure that the same team can still be
blended."
PROLA admonished the Sport Minister: "she
shouldn't be discouraged because we lost. We can still make an
impact."
According to PROLA, Lone Star's matches should
serve as a medium of easing social problems among Liberian citizens.
"Football is social," stated PROLA.
"We should continue to participate at the higher
level. It's not good for us to give up."
PROLA believes that the participation of
the Lone Star is "preparation by itself because we don't have a sport
program."
PROLA frowned on the Sport Minister for
allegedly not consulting the Liberia Football Association (LFA) before
taking the decision.
"It's only the FA that can determine whether the
player is fit or not. It's more technical than political."
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