Doloquee
The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has taken disciplinary action against DC Shooters President John Winn for his involvement in forgery related to six Nigerian female footballers. As a result, Winn has been banned from entering all football facilities and participating in football-related activities under the LFA for one season.
The decision, communicated to the club on 13 April by LFA Secretary-General Atty. Kollie A. Dorko was made by the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee (GDC) following a meeting on 21 March with all parties involved. The GDC found that Winn had provided falsified Liberian documents to the players, enabling them to play in the 2022/2023 Orange Women’s Division.
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The players had previously admitted to being issued false documents, including Laissez Passez, which allowed them to travel from Benin to Liberia. Upon their arrival, Winn seized their documents and prepared Liberian birth certificates and citizen’s ID cards bearing Liberian names for them.
In addition to the ban imposed on Winn, the GDC has also 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.
According to the ruling, all points accumulated by Shooters from matches involving the player(s) will be deducted and transferred to all clubs they played against, in keeping with Chapter 3, articles 4.2e and 5a of the rules governing the Orange League.
The ban imposed on Winn is in accordance with chapter 4.1 (conduct) section 9, which stipulates that “anyone who forges a document or falsifies an authentic document to deceive in legal relationships while doing football-related activities will be banned for the period of a season.”
The GDC also recommends that matters of criminal nature be forwarded to the appropriate government agencies 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.
The parties involved have been reminded of their right to appeal against the ruling in accordance with article 5.0 (protests and appeals) points 8-9.
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Background:
The six players had held a news conference on 31 January, demanding four months’ salary arrears. The LFA, through second Vice President Saye-Taayor Adolphus Dolo, held a meeting with the players and Winn aimed at resolving the salary issues. The meeting was 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 of the league, which kicked off on 28 January. As part of the negotiations, the players’ contracts were mutually terminated, and they were not 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, legal committees, and competitions department for further investigation.
