Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has been informed that Invincible Eleven Football Club (IE) risks serious financial sanctions by the Liberia Football Association (LFA) for failure to comply with agreement signed between they and Barracks Young Controller for the first division slot they now occupy.
The Yellow Boys returned to the top flight of Liberian football after spending over two seasons in the third tier of Liberian Football.
IE, the club that produced the only African to win the World Player of the Year gong, George M. Weah, got relegated in the 2018/2019 season by the FA because they could not pay a fine imposed on the team for violating the rule of the league.
The LFA had fined the Club for refusing to pay $15, 000 for refusing to honor a league match away to Nimba Kwado FC in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.
Chapter Eight, Article 10 of the rules governing the Orange-sponsored LFA national league imposes a penalty on clubs refusing to honor league games.
“Without prejudice to any provision in these regulations, the LFA reserves the right to take the appropriate disciplinary actions, including fines, expulsion and relegation against any club, which withdraws from the competition or fails to honour any of its matches,” said LFA secretary-general Isaac Montgomery in a communication confirming the relegation of the team.
The club got into the top flight of Liberian football after former Liberian international now senator of River Gee County Johnathan Boye Charles Segbie came to the rescue of the club by purchasing a slot in the First Division.
The team return to the first division was as a reason for purchasing the slot of then First division side BYC-II, but the Club is yet to fully live up with the agreement they signed.
According to the agreement that was signed between both clubs and witnessed by the FA, IE was due to pay $25,000 for the space in two instalments with the first instalment of $ 10, 000 being paid and the second of $ 15, 000 to be paid after three months.
IE made the first payment in August of 2021 but has not been able to fulfil the second payment of 15,000, which is clearly against the agreement they signed.
Speaking to our reporter, the president of BYC Nathaniel Sherman, revealed that IE have defaulted in the payment.
He disclosed that they have approached IE on the matter, but they are yet to get a response from them on when they will make good their obligation.
Sherman said the LFA is aware of IE action and is waiting to see the next action that will be taken against the club “because they have violated the time they were to pay the amount”.
“We are people of Law so all we are waiting for is the LFA to go by what is in the agreement and that is to settle us from their subvention,” he said.
The Agreement that was signed states in part “that in consideration of the sale of the seller’s slot the buyer has accepted to the price officer to pay or be made to pay a full sum of twenty five thousand United States Dollars (US$25,000.00) dollars. “That the Payment shall be made in two instalments as follows.”
“Immediately upon the signing of this mutual agreement and receipt of the payment which Buyer has offer to do in cheque and the cheque which is in the sum ten thousand United States Dollars (US $ 10.000.00) dollars is cleared into the seller’s account and the agreement shall become binding and enforceable,”
“That in the event the seller is unable to receive or have the first payment cheque encashed when deposited into Seller’s account this slot sale agreement shall be immediately nullified and cancelled.
“That the balance payment of fifteen thousand United States Dollars (US$15, 000.00) dollars shall be paid at the end of three months after the signing of this agreement,”
“That any default/Failure in the payment of the balance sum of fifteen thousand United States Dollars (US$15,000.00)dollars by the buyer the seller the LFA shall intervene upon complain from the seller which shall be verified with the buyer, if proven that the buyer has defaulted /failed to make the balance payment as agreed herein , the LFA shall seize all subventions and other benefits the buyer shall be entitled and settled all payment due by the buyer to the seller.”
However, an official of IE, Sen. Segbie, agreed that the Club have an agreement with BYC and will live up to the agreement but needed time.
“Mr. Walker, good morning. I E have an arrangement with BYC and that agreement will be honoured by us. Let this not be an issue for the press,” Senator Segbie told our reporter when contacted.
The Club sits one place above the relegation zone in the league.