Liberia Ministry finds Lofa County was wrongfully disqualified from sports meet

Liberia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports has determined that Lofa County was wrongfully disqualified from the football competition during the 2025-26 National County Sports Meet. An ad hoc committee, chaired by Jeremiah Samuel Dugbo, found that the National Organizing Committee exceeded its authority by overturning a previous ruling from the Appeals Committee.

The dispute originated from a December 21 preliminary-round match between Lofa and Grand Cape Mount. Lofa was initially disqualified following accusations of fielding ineligible First Division players, a decision that the Appeals Committee later contested by ordering a match replay. However, the National Organizing Committee intervened to block the replay, citing rules regarding matters not expressly covered by existing regulations.

The ministry’s review concluded that the Appeals Committee was the final appellate body and that the Organizing Committee’s intervention undermined the established grievance process. While the findings confirm the error, the investigation comes eight months after the tournament concluded, making it too late to restore the matches Lofa lost.