Monrovia — In anticipation of the highly anticipated 2023 Liberia Strongman Competition, the Liberia Strongman Federation has made the decision to lift the suspension of former champion Ibrahim Mensah. Mensah, who had been suspended by the federation in 2022 for abandoning the final of the competition due to his dissatisfaction, has expressed remorse for his actions and pleaded for forgiveness.
During the second edition of the competition, Mensah's departure from the event created an easier path for Thomas Soko Benjamin, also known as "No Fear," ultimately resulting in his disqualification as the defending champion. Mensah had requested the organizers to add an additional 600 pounds, which went against the rules, and upon being denied, he chose to leave the gym. Consequently, "No Fear" was declared the winner of the 2022 competition.
After taking several months for reflection, Mensah realized the unprofessional nature of his actions and reached out to the Federation with a heartfelt apology. In his communication to the federation, dated April 28, 2023, Mensah officially apologized for walking out of the competition and extended his apology to all participants and fans of the event. Mensah also personally apologized to the host, Madam Junda Morris, and expressed his hope that his apology would be accepted.
In response to Mensah's communication, the executive board of the Liberia Strongman Federation notified the athlete on May 26, 2023, that his letter would be discussed, and a final decision would be made at a press conference scheduled for June 7, 2023. The federation expressed its intention to officially accept Mensah's apology and lift his suspension during the upcoming press conference, coinciding with the announcement of the 2023 Liberia Strongman events.
During the press conference, Leroy Morgan, the secretary general of the federation, stated that after careful consideration of Mensah's communication, the executive board had decided that Mensah had fulfilled all the requirements for reinstatement set forth by the federation. Consequently, Mensah was granted the opportunity to proceed with his registration process for the 2023 competition preliminary. Emmanuel Payne, the president of the federation, emphasized the decision to give Mensah a second chance, highlighting the sense of unity among Liberians and their desire to see Mensah's ban lifted.
Expressing remorse for his previous actions, Ibrahim Mensah, upon the lifting of his suspension, acknowledged his regret and pledged to be a better athlete going forward. He apologized to his fans and thanked the federation for accepting him into the competition this year, assuring them that such actions would not be repeated. Mensah expressed his commitment to abide by the rules and heed the guidance of the federation.
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Mensah, the winner of the inaugural competition in 2021 and a close contender for the title in the second year, only to be disqualified in the final, is now eager to participate once again. The Liberia Strongman Federation has announced that the preliminary qualifiers for the 2023 edition will officially commence in August.
The third edition of the Liberia Strongman Competition aims to bring together the strongest men and women in the country to determine the national champions. Introduced in Liberia in December 2020 as a new international strength-based athletics sport, the competition features rigorous obstacles and training methods, differentiating it from traditional Powerlifting/Weightlifting and Bodybuilding events. The event was initially showcased during the Runway Liberia International event, a flagship event of JMK Productions, Public Relations & Empowerment LLC.
According to Leroy Morgan, the secretary general of the federation, the preliminary qualifiers for Liberia's Strongman Competition will be held on August 24, 2023, in Monrovia, setting the stage for an exciting and highly anticipated event.
