Monrovia — Doxxbet-Liberia, in collaboration with the Liberia Football Association (LFA), has presented vehicles to the male and female winners of the 2024 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards.
As one of Liberia's leading betting companies, Doxxbet has served as the lead sponsor of the LFA Awards for the past five editions. The keys and documents for the vehicles were handed over to First Division MVP Yaya Bility of Heaven Eleven FC and Upper Women's League MVP Erica Parson of Shaita Angels FC during a colorful ceremony held Wednesday at the LFA Headquarters. The presentation was made by Michal Frola, Chairman of the Board of Doxxbet-Liberia Ltd.
In his remarks, Frola expressed pride in the company's significant contributions to the LFA Awards, particularly its tradition of awarding vehicles to the MVP winners over the years. He also commended the LFA and the 2024 Awards Committee, chaired by event planning expert Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga, for their exceptional work. Frola reaffirmed Doxxbet's commitment to supporting Liberian football and hinted at plans to increase its contributions in the future.
"We are very happy to work with the LFA, and we want to thank the members of the Awards Committee for their tremendous efforts. We aim to continue increasing our support for Liberian football, as we have done over the years, with more ambitious plans ahead," Frola stated.
Erica Parson, upon receiving the keys to her vehicle, thanked both the LFA and Doxxbet for their continued support of women's football. Her guardian, Andy Kabbah, recounted in an interview how he and his wife had repeatedly tried to steer Erica away from football to focus on school, fearing a lack of opportunities in women's football in Liberia. Despite their efforts, Erica's passion and determination for the game persisted.
"I always advised her to focus on school and not football, especially since there seemed to be no future for women's football in Liberia. But Erica wouldn't listen. Every evening, she was out there playing with the boys," Kabbah shared as he started her new car. He expressed pride in her achievements, noting that she had finished high school and become one of the best female footballers in the country.
LFA President Mustapha I. Raji praised Doxxbet-Liberia for its unwavering support of Liberian football, urging other companies to follow suit in providing opportunities for young athletes. He emphasized the importance of the awards program in fostering football development, stating, "We will invest whatever we receive from football back into football. These awards reflect our commitment to transparency and development in the sport."
Raji also called on the Government of Liberia to invest more in football and other sports, expressing optimism about the future of Liberian football.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga, Chairperson of the 2024 LFA Awards Committee, addressed allegations of favoritism in the awards process. He stressed that the selection was conducted electronically and adhered to principles of fair play and transparency.
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"We ensured the awards process was based on fairness and established clear rules of engagement," Onanuga stated. He expressed satisfaction with the event's success and thanked stakeholders for their support, while acknowledging the need for continued improvement in future editions.
Onanuga also highlighted an apology from Determine Girls President Grace Weah, who had previously accused the committee of bias. "We are 2,000 percent confident in the integrity of our process. While there are always areas for improvement, what we achieved this year was a near-perfect event," he concluded.
