Government Blesses Zone III Participation

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

The Assistant Minister for Sports has confirmed that Liberia would participate in the pending Zone Three Solidarity Games.

The Zone Three Games would take place in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, from November 14 to 21, 2006.

According to Assistant Sports Minister, V. Murvee Gray, the full Liberia delegation would depart the country few days before the games start.

Mr. Gray stated that Liberia would be represented by four sporting disciplines, which he named as boxing, athletics, table tennis and volleyball.

He added that at least 72 athletes would make the trip and that they would be below twenty years.

Mr. Gray mentioned that government has decided to fund the trip.

“We are working with the LNOC (Liberia National Olympic Committee) to prepare for the games,” he noted.

The Sports Ministry official disclosed that arrangements have been made with the Chinese engineers that are renovating the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports complex in Paynesville to enable the various national teams train there.

Thus, Mr. Gray said that the athletes would start training on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at the SKD Sports Complex.

He made strong emphasis on athletics as the sport that would be heavily relied upon to get qualifying time for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

“We expect to see the Minister of Youth and Sports, Cllr. Jamesetta Howard-Wolokollie in Abuja, considering the political nature,” Mr. Gray pointed out.

Nigeria intends to use the hosting of the Zone Three Games to put up a strong bid for the Commonwealth Games.

The President of the LNOC, Philibert S. Browne once declared that the participation of Liberia would add impetus to Nigeria’s bid for the Commonwealth Games.

Mr. Browne believes that the presence of Liberia would be seen as the country’s gratitude to Nigeria for the huge contributions made by the latter in ending the civil war here.