LNOC VP Opposes Government Intrusion


          Mr. Clemenceau B. Urey

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

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An executive of the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has vowed to resist alleged attempts by Government to interfere in the works of the LNOC.

The statement by the LNOC Vice President for Administration, Attorney Sylvester D. Rennie followed news that a probe committee, set up by Head of State Gyude Bryant to investigate matters leading to the expulsion of the former LNOC President Clemenceau B. Urey in November, 2003, has submitted findings.

The committee, headed by Honorable Boeling Doekieh, according to a newspaper last week, in its findings to Chairman Bryant found no cause why Mr. Urey was booted out of the LNOC.

However, prior to the submission of the findings, the LNOC had already received copies of a ruling handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) where it was reported that Mr. Urey protested his removal but later failed to celebrate victory.

In his reaction, Atty. Rennie said a report from Government was not necessary on grounds that "The LNOC is only acting upon the rulings of the Court for Arbitration for Sports (CAS), based in Lausanne, Switzerland."

The LNOC Executive labeled the CAS as the highest decision-making body for sports matters in the world. "So, any matter of sports coming from any country before said court, the complaining party must exhaust all the local remedies at his or her disposals before taking said matter to the CAS," Rennie declared.

Rennie noted: "As the case of Mr. Urey, which is considered 'MOOT', the CAS has already handed down judgment based on an appeal by the expelled president, Mr. Urey. In the ruling, which was delivered by His Honor Raymond Ranjava, Vice President of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the court ruled that the appeal by Mr. Urey was unfounded and that his appeal to cancel his
expulsion by the LNOC Executive Committee was denied."

According to the LNOC Vice President, the CAS ruling has also led to the recognition of the current leadership of Mrs. Deborah J. Williams. Rennie said the LNOC also has the backings of international bodies such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOC) and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
He, therefore, spoke against the move by Government to investigate a situation that has been passed on to a court of competent jurisdiction. "This is strange to universal laws and the laws of Liberia."

Rennie said the matter has already been laid to rest by the CAS. "Any other committee that has been formed under our jurisdiction of law to investigate a matter that has been passed on by a court of competent jurisdiction, the court's judgment takes precedence," Rennie said.  "If there is a committee probing the issue of Urey's expulsion from the Olympic Committee, the committee should have conducted its findings prior to Urey's taking an appeal to the CAS. This should have been part of Mr. Urey's exhaustion of his local remedies as enshrined in the CAS statutes."

According to Rennie, "Mr. Urey waved the rights to seek local remedies and as such elected to take an appeal to the CAS, thus causing him to suffer waiver and lashes." He said, "It is worthwhile for said person to seek the legal opinions of lawyers relative to these matters before even coming out with any decision on it."

He noted that a report other than that of the CAS would be rejected. "The LNOC will ensure that it adheres to its constitution, article 3g, by resisting all forms of political pressure that might be brought on it, which is directly in line with the IOC charter," Rennie vowed.

He feared that any attempt to go contrary to the CAS would cause the country's suspension from the IOC. Atty. Rennie reminded the committee of the CAS' ruling which, he said, is intended not to mislead the Liberian people and Chairman Bryant.

He said the LNOC is solely focused on the need for Liberia to participate in the 2004 Olympics and "not to deal with matter that has already been done with since May, 2004."  Rennie told the aggrieved Urey to take his claims to the relevant appeal court, if there are any.

He admonished Chairman Bryant not to give credence to the protest from Mr. Urey as the issue leading to the latter's expulsion has already been addressed by an international court.

He then referred the Government probe committee to "get a copy of the CAS ruling."