Liberia Football Association Bans Club President for Forgery

The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has banned DC Shooters President John Winn for a season from entering all facilities and participating in all football activities under the LFA.

The decision, according to a statement from the LFA, came from the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee (GDC) after six female players from Nigeria admitted to receiving forged travel documents, including Laissez Passez, that allowed them to travel from Benin to Liberia.

According to the press release, the GDC determined that Winn gave the six Nigerian players forged Liberian documents so they could compete in the Orange women's division in 2022–2023.

“The committee said Winn seized the players’ documents upon their arrival in Liberia and prepared Liberian birth certificates and citizen’s ID cards bearing Liberian names.

“It banned goalkeeper Ambali Sekinah, defenders Grace Ojo, Cyril Charity Naomi, and Gladys Ajoku; defensive midfielder Mary Kiah and midfielder Bintu Adams from further participation in the league.”

Consequently, all points accumulated by Shooters from matches involving the player(s) will be deducted and transferred to all clubs they played against, in keeping with Chapter 3, Article 4.2e, and Section 5a of the rules governing the Orange League.    

Winn’s ban is in keeping with Chapter 4.1 (Conduct), Section 9, which states that “anyone, who doing football related activities, forges a document or falsifies an authentic document to deceive in a legal relationship will be banned for the period of a season”.

The GDC has meanwhile recommended that matters of a criminal nature be forwarded by the LFA to the appropriate agency(ies) of government for further prosecution on the falsification of documents, including the granting of citizenship and the lack of residence and work permits for the players. 

It reminded the parties of their right to appeal the ruling in accordance with Article 5.0 (protests and appeals) points 8-9.