Business As Usual Too In Sports?
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
( 4/09/2004 Monrovia) -By
now, it is believed that the issue of who heads the Liberia National
Olympic Committee (LNOC) is an issue of the past. But from what has
been obtained, the leadership saga has resurfaced although the
Minister of Youth and Sports, Counselor Wheatonia Dixon-Barnes, was
the one who swore into office the current president, Deborah J.
Williams at the end of the LNOC Congress on Saturday, December 27,
2003.
Thereafter, the Chairman of the House Committee,
Buster Verdier recognized Mrs. Williams' leadership. The female LNOC
president also got backing from international bodies when she attended
a meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (ANOCA)
in Yaounde, Cameroon and a gathering of the Association of National
Olympic Committees (ANOC).
Despite these information, there are reports that the
issue has climbed the stairs of the head of state, Gyude Bryant. A
source indicated that Chairman Bryant has since gone ahead to appoint
a five-man committee that comprises people with no connection to
sports right now. They are said to be Education Minister Dr. Evelyn
Kandakai, Baptist Reverend Dr. Walter Richards and the President of
the African Methodist Episcopal University, Dr. Louise York.
The formation of an investigation team is an
apparent response to a series of letters, some published in
newspapers, by the man ousted from the LNOC president, Clemenceau B.
Urey. He was expelled by an overwhelming number of the federations and
associations that make up the executive committee of the LNOC. They
had declared a vote of no confidence in him.
In a year like this when the country is supposed to be
preparing for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, the alleged
decision by Chairman Bryant seems to be doing a greater harm to the
country's quest to snatch a medal this time around.
Article 3g of the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) charter, which the LNOC has directly transformed into its
constitution says: "to preserve its autonomy and resist all pressures
of any kind, including those of a political, religious or economic
nature, that may prevent the LNOC from complying with the Olympic
Charter."
We believe, if this true, then
Chairman Bryant should start protecting the rule of law and not to
protect the personal interests of friends because during his
inauguration, he told the nation that the culture of business as usual
was over. But is what is obtaining not business as usual?
This is a dangerous precedence for the sporting
community because pretty soon, for instance, he would be setting up
committees to investigate the ascendancy of S. Ahmad Tukpah to the
presidency of the Liberia National Swimming Federation or even S.
Izetta Wesley for the leadership of the Liberia Football Association
(LFA).
Let it be known that sport does not operate
the way the Chairman may be thinking. He should learn to seek
clarification from sporting bodies which will help to enhance his
understanding.
We see this as an attempt to stab federations and associations, who
are representing the country in international events, in the back, as
power is inherent in the people.
The fact remains that associations and
federations are owners of the LNOC and the government is under
obligation to coordinate the efforts of these sporting bodies as is
enshrined in Article 3j of the LNOC constitution which states that:
"to cooperate with government or non-governmental bodies that may
assist in the promotion of the Olympic ideals in order to fulfill its
objectives."
Like the case of the allegation that
Chairman Bryant has set up a committee to investigate the already
settled crisis in a sporting group like the LNOC, it is hereby
advisable that succeeding governments, who might have the intention to
do so, desist as this is strictly government interference for which
the IOC forbids.
As Guinea was suspended in the past,
Liberia will be suspended if this happens because of the nature of
political interference that is beginning to permeate in sporting
circle. Federations and associations now stand the risk of not
benefiting from government funding probably because their leaders are
not favored by those closed to the powers that be.
We stand to be corrected if the Honorable Head of
State can prove himself to the contrary. Until then, our investigate
continues.
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