County's basketball team is pressing on at the 2025-26 National County Sports Meet, defying an earlier county announcement that it had withdrawn from the competition.
On Jan. 5, the Lofa County Sports Association said it was pulling the basketball team from the tournament after what it described as "careful consideration of circumstances affecting participation."
The decision followed the Jan. 2 disqualification of Lofa's football team for fielding ineligible First Division players. That ruling awarded Grand Cape Mount County three points and two goals.
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The football dispute stemmed from a Dec. 21 preliminary-round match between Lofa and Grand Cape Mount. The game, initially slated for the Doris Williams Sports Stadium, was relocated to the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex after organizers cited integrity concerns.
Despite the county's withdrawal announcement, Lofa's basketball players and officials have continued to compete, arguing they should not be punished for a football-related violation.
In a statement, the team warned that the decision would strip them of the chance to defend Lofa's basketball title and deny young athletes a rare platform to attract scouts.
"If we don't participate in the county meet, you are not just stopping us from defending our trophy--you are taking the basketball dream from 15 Liberian kids who want to be seen and scouted," the statement said.
The County Sports Steering Committee has also declined to issue the team its transitional green jerseys. As a result, Lofa has competed in the last two matches wearing rented orange jerseys without the county's logo.
On Tuesday, Lofa cruised to a 63-26 victory over Grand Gedeh.
Team Manager Robert Sesay told The Liberian Investigator that players felt compelled to continue playing because their registration documents remain with the tournament's organizing committee. He said the team rented neutral jerseys to fulfill fixtures against Grand Bassa and Grand Gedeh.
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports G. Andy Quamie confirmed that Lofa's basketball team remains eligible to compete, noting that the National County Sports Meet steering committee has not received any formal withdrawal letter from the county.
"Once the organizing committee receives a withdrawal letter, action will be taken," Quamie said. "Until then, Lofa remains within the tournament."
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Quamie added that the team cannot be disqualified over its jerseys, stressing that all players were properly registered.
