Monrovia — The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has banned DC Shooters President, John Winn, from entering all facilities and participating in all football-related activities under the LFA for a season. In a letter to the club on 13 April, LFA Secretary-General Atty. Kollie A. Dorko said the decision emanated from the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee (GDC).
The GDC, which met on 21 March at 14:00 GMT with all parties, established that Winn provided falsified Liberian documents to six Nigerian female footballers to enable them to play in the 2022/2023 Orange women's division. The players had previously admitted to being issued false documents, including Laissez-Passer, which enabled them to travel from Benin to Liberia. The committee said Winn seized the players' documents upon their arrival in Liberia and prepared Liberian birth certificates and citizen's ID cards bearing Liberian names.
It banned goalie Ambali Sekinah, defenders Grace Ojo, Cyril Charity Naomi, and Gladys Ajoku; defensive midfielder Mary Kiah, and midfielder Bintu Adams from further participation in the league. All points accumulated by Shooters from matches involving the player(s), according to the ruling, will be deducted and transferred to all clubs they played against in keeping with chapter 3, article 4.2e and 5a of the rules governing the Orange League.
Winn's ban is in keeping with Chapter 4.1 (conduct) section 9, which states that "anyone, who doing football-related activities, forges a document or falsifies an authentic document to deceive in legal relationship will be banned for the period of a season." The GDC recommends that matters of criminal nature be forwarded to the appropriate agency(ies) of government by the LFA for further prosecution on the falsification of documents, including granting of citizenship and lack of residence and work permits for the players.
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It reminded the parties of their right to appeal against the ruling in accordance with article 5.0 (protests and appeals) points 8-9.
Background The six players held a news conference on 31 January demanding four months' arrears. The LFA, through Second Vice President Saye-Taayor Adolphus Dolo, held a meeting of the minds with the players and Winn aimed at resolving the salary issues. The meeting was also attended by Legal Manager Benedict A. Yarsiah (Atty.), Human Resource Manager Marie Wea, Acting Finance Manager Joseph Sheriff, and Aletha Massaquoi and Kebeh Lamine of the Women's Department at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on 2 February.
It was agreed that the players would be paid from the club's remaining sponsorship and subvention of US$4,500 for the second phase, which kicked-off on 28 January. As part of the negotiations, the players' contracts were mutually terminated and they weren't allowed to sign for any club until the season ends on 29 April. The LFA also gave the players L$10,000 and four bags of rice while their arrears were being processed.
Revelations from the players were forwarded to the Players' Status, Grievance and Disciplinary, and Legal Committees, and Competitions Department for further investigation.
