Madam Free has denied all wrongdoings as reported by the Liberia National Wheel Chair Basketball Federation (LNWBL).
Free added that she was already planning to resign her position due to several irregularities.
She revealed threats against her life by the wife of Lionel Johnson, president of the Liberia National Wheel Chair Basketball Federation.
Free acknowledged that the wife of the LNWBF president sent her voice recording threatening her if she dared go to the media to explain about her husband regarding issues of the federation.
According to Free, though she was advised by some of her friends to not accept the Goodwill Ambassadorial position of the federation based on several bad practices by the president and others, she didn’t listen, but she has now regretted her action.
“Couple of my friends advised me before about Mr. Johnson’s attitude in terms of his lack of transparency and accountability. When they wanted to make me Goodwill Ambassador at the initial stage, I received several concerns from friends advising me to reject the idea, but I did not listen and today, I’m experiencing the worst case in terms of character defamation, just because I decided to bring openness to the organization that I feed I needed to help because I’m also in said condition,” she said.
She furthered that after taking over the position as Goodwill Ambassador of the federation, she started using her influence to brand the organization on the international scene that today the Liberia National Wheel Chair Basketball Federation is well known in the United Kingdom, United States America, Australia, and the Netherlands, where she is based, among others.
She said, “Now, I believe this is what Mr. Johnson does not want. For every time I receive donation, be it cash or materials, I always make it public by posting it on my Facebook page through video or written information for the federation to be aware of what is coming in because I’m a podcaster.”
According to her, even the recent pre-tournament held by the organization at the Unification Sports Park in Monrovia, the Second Lady of Liberia, Stephanie Dahn-Koung, gave US$500 which she did post on her page, but the president of the federation takes offense to such transparency.
“It will interest you to note that Johnson does not want for the players to know about the money coming in the federation and other material donations. Before the pre-tournament, a group in the US gave us U$500 and they requested for their logo to be used on the jersey and Mr. Johnson also said a company here in Liberia donated materials of over US$5,000, but nobody knows about this donation,” she narrated.
The former Goodwill Ambassador of the Liberia National Wheel Chair Basketball Federation said, before accepting her position, some players had series of issues with Johnson which caused them to stay away from every activity being organized by the federation, citing lack of transparency, accountability, and feeling for players.
But as Goodwill Ambassador, she managed to win their minds over due to the sanity she restored in keeping with openness, their wellbeing, transparency, and accountability, among others.
Recently, the Federation announced revoking the status of Madam Mamie Free as Goodwill Ambassador of the federation with immediate effect.
According to a release dated February 21, 2024 and signed by its Secretary General, Klennious Blamo, Madam Free’s affiliation with the federation has also been terminated.
The release said that Madam Free’s appointment by the Board of Directors of the federation was to represent the good image of the institution on the international scene by demonstrating a high degree of professionalism, accountability, and transparency, but she has practically become a self-seeking venture.
The release also said the LNWBF has come to realize that Free’s endeavors and interaction with diaspora sponsors have not served the best interest of the federation, but she has rather diverted all donations in the name of Liberia National Wheelchair Basketball Federation for her personal use and selfish desire.
The LNWBF release further noted that, as a consequence of this selfish and unprofessional behavior on the part of Mamie Free, the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the LNWBF on Monday, February 20, 2024, in a mass meeting, passed a ‘Vote of No Confidence’ in her by revoking the status of Goodwill Ambassador and further terminated any and all association and affiliation with her.
The letter of withdrawal of status and termination of association, including a five-count resolution signed by executives of LNWBF, was served to Madam Free on February 20, 2024 by the chairperson of the Board of Directors, Florence Mamusu Thornes.
