taken full responsibility for the age discrepancy issue that led to the exclusion of Lawrence Kumeh and Daniel Nyumah from the national team’s 1-1 draw against Senegal on Sunday.
The incident arose during pre-match inspections when discrepancies between the players’ ages listed in the FIFA Connect system and their official passports were flagged by Senegalese officials.
The controversy disrupted the Lone Star’s preparations for the crucial African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier, drawing frustration from Head Coach Thomas Kojo.
Speaking on the Truth Breakfast Show (TBS) on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, LFA President Mustapha I. Raji admitted the association’s oversight and vowed to ensure accountability.
“We at LFA take full responsibility for the incident that occurred during the inspection before Sunday’s game with the discrepancy in our players’ ages,” Raji said.
Raji announced that a thorough investigation would be conducted to uncover the root cause of the error. “The integrity of our national team and the LFA is paramount. We will conduct a comprehensive investigation to understand what went wrong and take corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” he added.
The incident has raised uncertainty regarding the availability of Kumeh and Nyumah for the return leg in Senegal this Friday.
Adding to the team’s challenges, reports suggest that Senegalese officials are considering filing a protest against striker William Gibson and former LFA MVP Edward Ledlum over allegations of professional contract violations, which could further complicate Liberia’s squad selection.
The CHAN tournament, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), exclusively features players competing in their domestic leagues, making accurate documentation a critical requirement for eligibility.
Coach Kojo expressed concern over the potential impact of these disputes on the team’s performance, stating, “Our focus remains on preparing for the second leg.
However, these off-field issues have created distractions we could have avoided with better administrative oversight.”
The LFA has called for unity and patience as it works to resolve the matter. “We assure Liberians that steps are being taken to address these issues swiftly.
Our priority is to support the team and ensure they perform at their best in Senegal,” Raji said.
With the return leg approaching, Liberia must overcome both on-field and administrative hurdles to advance in the CHAN qualifiers.
