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Police call for Liberia ban
 
By Ledgerhood Rennie
BBC Sport, Monrovia

 
Liberia's police chief Clarence Chris Massaquoi
Liberia's police chief Clarence Massaquoi wants internationals suspended

Liberia's police chief Clarence Chris Massaquoi wants to suspend international football matches in Liberia.

His call comes after at least two people lost their lives in the chaos in Monrovia that followed the Lone Star's 3-0 loss to Liberia.

Meanwhile several of Liberia's overseas-based players have said that they will have to consider their international futures after the violent clashes.

Massaquoi says the suspension is necessary until the police feel they have the capacity to deal with such violence in the future.

"We'll suggest to the Liberian government that all international football matches be stopped here until we are able to put the right apparatus together to guide and control football matches in this country," he said.

The problems in Monrovia followed problems during the game, which was halted for 30 minutes in the second half.

The stoppage came as police sought to quell fans, who began throwing stones onto the pitch after Senegal scored their third goal.

Then after the game the visitors and the referee had to be taken away from the stadium under the protection of United Nations troops and their armoured personnel carriers.

Liberia's goalkeeper Louis Crayton
Louis Crayton is one of the players considering his future for Liberia

Among the players considering his international future is striker Malcolm Cephas, who plays his football in the US first division.

"I don't know whether I'm going to come back, I still have to decide," he said.

"I love my country and want to continue playing but they [angry spectators] smashed my dad's car windscreen and my family is under threat so how can I make a decision to return."

Goalkeeper Louis Crayton also condemned the mob action and said he too was uncertain of returning to the team.

"I have a family to cater for and with the trend the Liberian fans are taking, well we have to be careful about honouring future matches whether home or away," he said.

The team's administrative manager Wortor Jacques Anderson said: "It will be difficult getting most of these guys to return to the team after today's violence.

"We really have to work over the break period to convince them that this is just one bad day in Liberian Football".

 

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