The Appeal Board of the National County Sports Meet has reversed the earlier ruling that awarded points to Grand Cape Mount County and has ordered a replay of the disputed match against Lofa County, effectively resetting one of the most controversial cases of the 2025 National County Sports Meet football competition.
In its decision, the Appeal Board held that players registered in excess of the number allowed under Rule 13.13 do not automatically constitute “illegal players” within the meaning of Rule 21.1 of the Rules and Regulations. The Board clarified that only players involved in fraudulent or improper transfers may be deemed illegal, subject to investigation and formal findings by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) and the Liberia Football Association (LFA).
Key Findings of the Appeal
While the Board acknowledged that Lofa County failed to conduct adequate due diligence regarding the eligibility of two players, Francis Doe and Jeremiah Johnson, who were transferred from a first-division club to a third-division club prior to the start of the tournament, it stopped short of upholding the severe sporting sanctions earlier imposed.
The Appeal Board further noted that responsibility for any breach linked to the disputed transfers rests primarily with the LFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which are charged with overseeing player transfers and ensuring compliance with eligibility requirements.
On the procedural side, the Board recognized that Grand Cape Mount County properly filed its protest on the match report sheet. However, it ruled that the protest process was not fully concluded within the four-hour statutory window provided under Article XV, Section 17.1 of the National County Sports Meet Rules and Regulations.
The Board also faulted the Ministry of Youth and Sports for transferring the match from its original venue without putting the necessary administrative structures in place, describing the situation as a failure on the part of the Ministry.
Appeal Board’s Decision
Based on the totality of the facts, applicable law, and public policy considerations, the Appeal Board ruled as follows:
The appeal filed by the Lofa County Sports Association is acknowledged. The complaint filed by the Grand Cape Mount County Sports Association is acknowledged. The Protest and Grievance Committee ruling of December 26, 2026, is hereby reversed. The earlier result of the match between Lofa County and Grand Cape Mount County is declared null and void. Lofa County and Grand Cape Mount County are ordered to replay the match, on a date and time to be determined by the Organizing Committee of the National County Sports Meet. The two players at the center of the dispute, Francis Doe and Jeremiah Johnson, are suspended from the tournament, with Lofa County granted the opportunity to replace them. Grand Bassa County remains qualified, and the eventual winner of the replayed match between Lofa and Grand Cape Mount will join Grand Bassa County in the quarterfinals. The replayed match must be played as soon as possible and before the start of the quarterfinals.
Emphasis on Unity and Fair Play
In justifying its decision, the Appeal Board emphasized that the National County Sports Meet exists to promote peace, reconciliation, and national unity, noting that ordering a replay best serves those objectives while preserving sporting fairness.
The ruling brings temporary closure to a dispute that has generated intense public debate and heightened tensions, while setting the stage for a decisive replay that will determine which county advances in the tournament.
