Liberia league in turmoil

Liberia league in turmoil
Ledgerhood Rennie
BBC Sport, Monrovia


Some clubs in Liberia say they play on unsafe pitches


Liberia's top flight league has been thrown into turmoil after some clubs threatened to boycott the competition over lack of sponsorship.

Ten clubs in the league are also at loggerheads with the Liberia Football Association (LFA) over the poor organisation of the 16-team competition.

A spokesman for the aggrieved clubs Andy Quamie says they will shun the four-week-old league until their demands are addressed.

"We want a full sponsorship of the league, attractive financial rewards and a conducive playing venues," Quamie told BBC Sport.

"We also want a rescheduling of the league to October, the start of the dry season, as the heavy rains this time of the year have a great impact on the wear and tear of our playing equipment."


Liberia's main venue for league matches, the Antoinette Tubman Stadium, has been closed down for refurbishment.

The opening matches of this year's league has been played at unorthodox venues and the clubs say the alternative stadiums are not safe.

"We can't imagine the LFA is pushing us to play at venues with no security at all Quamie said."

Despite the claims by the clubs, the LFA says the teams are being insensitive with their demands.

"The LFA is looking into improving the league through sponsorship but with the teams bickering, it would be difficult to attract such a deal," the secretary-general of the LFA, George Williams said.

"They must understand the overall economic and infrastructural challenges we are faced and be realistic in their demands."

The LFA has revealed that it is in talks with a Ghana based firm Avantis over a US$160,000 sponsorship deal for the league.