George Weah's bid to become president of the Liberia
Football Association (LFA) has encountered a setback.
Under the association's statutes, for any candidate to be
eligible for the body's presidency they must first have served
as a local club president.
Last week, first division outfit Bassa Defenders chose Weah
as their president after the incumbent Jeremy Russell
resigned.
But the LFA has now rejected that appointment.
"The LFA cannot endorse such an appointment in the
absence of an election and the association should have
officially been invited to participate and witness the
election," a letter from the LFA secretary general
Yanqueh Borsay said.
"Until the conditions set forth by the LFA are met,
the club's letter informing the association about Weah's
appointment cannot be sanctioned by the LFA."
However there are no provisions within LFA statutes that
insist upon elections being held for a club president.
Precedence is in Weah's favour as most of the clubs'
leaders are either appointed by a board of directors or by the
founder.
Weah himself has yet to publicly react to the LFA
announcement but the club and other football officials have
expressed surprise at the decision.
"We have a right to decide who handles our affairs as
a club," said Jeremy Russell, a vice-president of Bassa
Defenders.
Liberia's greatest footballer has the backing of an
official of Invincible Eleven, another clubside, in his bid to
become Bassa Defenders' new leader.
"We will have no alternative but to canvass for a vote
of no confidence in the FA leadership if it continues to stop
Weah participating in football here," said Bangalu Cole.
During his playing career Weah had spells with French clubs
Paris Saint Germain, Marseille, Italian giants AC Milan as
well as English Premiership side Chelsea.
