Stranded Athletes Cry To Pres. Sirleaf
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

Over forty Liberian athletes have cried to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to intervene in evacuating them from Lagos, Nigeria.

The athletes and their officials are currently languishing in Lagos after participating in the 2006 Zone Three Games in Abuja.

Representing table tennis, athletics, volleyball and boxing, the athletes met on Monday evening after which they indicated that it was now time that they draw the attention of the Liberian President who they think is in the position to quickly return them to Monrovia.

Led by Otis Nyanneh, Renne Massaquoi, Marcus Wolo, Frank Seffah, Korkulo Roberts and Sumo Kollie, the aggrieved athletes said that they have run out of money, drinking water, food and even clothings because they had already checked in their luggages at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on Sunday.

They informed President Sirleaf that the US$100.00 given to each athlete have been exhausted due to the overstay in Nigeria.

As a result, they want the government to make available additional money for their upkeep and threatened not to leave Lagos until their demands are met.

The Bellview Airlines failed to take all 59 members of the Liberian delegation on Sunday following the end of the Abuja Zone Three Games.

The Bellview Airlines made it clear that it was in the position to take only 40 Liberians and that the balance 19 would be taken on Wednesday.

The request was turned down by the President of the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC), Philibert S. Browne.

Mr. Browne contended that the delegation would not board the flight unless it was agreed that all members go together.
Tension mounted as the entire Liberian delegation besieged the office of the Bellview Airlines at the Lagos Airport with workers stopped from coming out and customers prevented from going in.

The Deputy Minister of Sports, Marbue Richards ordered that the 40 members be allowed to board the aircraft but the LNOC President stood his ground.

The situation saw the Bellview Airlines having no alternative but to leave without the Liberian delegation.

Thus, the Liberian athletes and officials had to go without food and water for almost 14 hours at the airport.

Later, Bellview Airllines and Mr. Browne agreed that the entire delegation would be taken from Lagos on Wednesday though it seems unlikely whether the former would live up to the promise.

At the moment, the airline is responsible for only 19 persons for feeding and accommodation on grounds that it failed to take responsibility of the decision not to allow the 40 persons to leave Lagos on Sunday.

The entire was taken to the Meteor Hotel but instead of 19 rooms requested by the airlines, the number is less then the amount.

As a result, there are either five or six persons in a room.
Despite agreeing to take responsibility to feed 19 persons, feeding has been inadequate.