Several players of the Liberia Football Association’s (LFA) second division team, NPA Anchors, have filed a formal complaint accusing the club of unfairly terminating their contracts.
NPA Anchors that was recently relegated to the second division, informed players of the termination months after the league concluded; citing a rebranding effort as the reason for ending their services.
A letter from the National Port Authority Sports Association (NPASA), dated April 23, 2024, declared all players and coaches free agents following the disbursement of their April salaries.
The letter, signed by the Secretary and Vice president for Administration of the club, Malcolm Scott and approved the Chairman of the Board of NPASA, James Richard Bernard, it stated, “I present my compliments and write to inform you that due to the poor performance of the NPA Anchors Monrovia, the leadership of the National Port Authority’s Sports Association has decided to rebrand the team. This move is solely intended to reinvest and better prepare the team for the next league season and all future encounters. In view of the aforesaid, you are hereby declared/rendered FREE Agents immediately after the disbursement/payment of April 2024 salaries. However, the Association, through a newly constituted Technical Committee, will be glad if any player desires to rejoin the team following rigorous justification and screening.”
Despite this communication, the affected players argued that the termination is unjust as they still have valid contracts.
Those players making claims are Jahem T. Sieh, Coacious B. Nimely, Benjamin S. Beayee, and others, on grounds that their contracts run from September 2023 to September 2025 and therefore, they are demanding full payment of the remaining contract amounts, totaling US$150 per month for each player.
In their complaint to the LFA, submitted on June 17, 2024, the players claimed, “As it stands, we have one year and six months left on our current contracts. Therefore, we are kindly asking your good office for a speedy intervention because we do not agree with this decision.”
The players are yet to receive a response from NPA Anchors, prompting the escalation of the matter to LFA Deputy Secretary General, Mohammed A. Sheriff.
Sources indicate that NPA Anchors have refused to appear before the LFA to address the players’ claims and that the LFA’s legal department has decided on the matter but is giving the club additional time to settle with the players.
The LFA has issued a three-day grace period for NPA Anchors to respond, following a previous one-week communication and threatened that failure to respond will result in the case being referred to the LFA’s “Players Status Committee.
A player revealed that the LFA might withhold subvention funds and supplies, including footballs and other materials from FIFA, until the matter is resolved.
“This is our job, and we signed contracts and have been working, so why would they terminate our contracts? Can they do this to those working in the port? Or do they think football is not important?” one player questioned.
The situation raises concerns about the club’s decision-making process and its impact on the players. Typically, terminating a player’s or coach’s contract before it expires requires mutual consultation and agreement, a procedure that appears to have been overlooked by NPA Anchors. As the LFA intervenes, the football community awaits a resolution that upholds the rights and contracts of the players involved.
