The Inquirer (Monrovia)
D. Webster Cassell
3 October 2008
Investigation conducted by this paper has revealed that the Liberia Football Association (LFA) signed a closed door US$55,000 media pact with a French based advertising firm, International Football Advertising and Promotion Group (ISAP).
The investigation however uncovered the signature of LFA secretary general George William as direct representation of the government of Liberia.
Recently an executive Committee member, David Kortie alarmed that the Izetta Sumo Wesley led administration has several ills including the lack of transparency and accountability in her administrative financial transactions.
Mr. Kortie informed the public that the current LFA administration has failed to improve the status of the game in the country in spite of the numerous financial supports it has received from FIFA, CAF and WAFU.
Barely four-days after those claims were made, a startling revelation has confirmed that the LFA entered the agreement with ISAP to carry live the Liberia versus Algeria match, which accordingly is the only hope of Algeria qualification for the 2010 nation's cup.
Our Investigation further confirmed that the contract was signed on March 28, 2008 with an agreement that there should be no third-party unless the need be.
As per the contract sheet, the ministry of youth and sports (MYS) was completely excluded from the paper works of the deal since perhaps it was referred to as 'third Party.'
Our investigation confirmed that the deal was actually finalized on March 28, 2008 at a meeting only attended by officials of the FA and the French based media firm.
The investigation also realized that the Sports Ministry provided no administration of technical advice or neither did they confirm the authorization for the FA to enter an agreement of such.
Though the intent of the deal is yet to be made known to the Liberian people, information gathered indicates that Algeria only hope to qualify for either of the 2010 competitions is their away match here in Liberia and that they have put in place mechanism to at least claim a point in Monrovia.
Our investigation further disclosed that the contract was actually signed with the intent to grant the French based advertisement firm the full media rights to carry live the Liberia versus Algeria match which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 12, 2008.
But with the phrase "there should be no third party" within the contract, it seems that the Liberia Football Association intentionally hid it form the press for public consumption.
Though it is alleged that the Sports Ministry is aware of the deal and is acting hypocritical, there are reports from the MYS that they were lately informed only after the deal was uncovered, after being finalized since March 28, 2008.
The platform of the contract though may be healthy for the development of the game, it has now appeared dubious in the eyes of soccer pundits since it was negotiated especially with this call that there should be no 'third party.'
Our investigation has uncovered that there probably were interior motives behind the deal for which the contract was not publicized and neither made available to the local press like it was done in the case of L-Sport a year ago.
Following the investigation, a copy of the contract is expected to be published in our subsequent editions.
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