Appeals Committee Slashes Benita Urey’s Ban to Three Years, But Upholds Manipulation Findings

MONROVIA – The Appeals Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) has delivered a stinging verdict in the case of Shaita Angels FC President Benita W. Urey.

By: Christopher C. Walker | 0777898224 / 0886723075 | [email protected]

While the committee reduced her initial five-year ban to three years, it concurrently upheld the damning findings of match manipulation that have rocked the 2024/2025 football season.

In its April 2, 2026 ruling, the committee determined that while the evidence of misconduct was sufficient, the original five-year sanction was “manifestly disproportionate” for a first-time offender.

The “Smoking Gun” Findings Stand

Despite the reduced sentence, the committee did not vindicate Ms. Urey. The ruling affirmed the LFA Grievance and Disciplinary Committee’s conclusion that Urey was involved in facilitating or authorizing payments to players intended to influence match outcomes involving Paynesville FC.

Throughout the proceedings, Urey’s legal team maintained that the payments were “benevolent” gestures rather than bribes.

The Appeals Committee, however, rejected this defense, ruling that the intent behind the money was secondary to its effect the systemic undermining of fair competition and the integrity of the league.

“Match manipulation strikes at the very heart of the game. Regardless of the donor’s intent, financial interference in player performance creates an environment where results are decided in pockets, not on the pitch.” Excerpt from the LFA Appeals Ruling

A Heavy Price for “First Offense”

The three-year ban remains one of the most severe administrative penalties in recent Liberian football history. Under the terms of the revised sanction, Ms. Urey is Barred from all football-related activities (administrative and operational).

 She is also prohibited from entering any stadium or sports facility under LFA jurisdiction.

The Road to Lausanne

The LFA’s internal judicial process is now exhausted. For Benita Urey, the only remaining legal avenue is an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland the supreme court of the sporting world.

Should the case move to CAS, it will mark another high-profile instance of Liberian football governance being scrutinized on the global stage, following a string of recent administrative crises within the local football house.

A Message to the Stakeholders

The ruling arrives as the LFA faces a “credibility crunch” with FIFA and CAF. By upholding the manipulation findings while tempering the punishment, the Appeals Committee has attempted to walk a fine line demonstrating that the LFA has the teeth to punish corruption, while ensuring its judicial processes meet international standards of proportionality.

For observers, the case is a barometer of the LFA’s internal controls. As the federation fights to avoid international isolation on other fronts, the Urey verdict serves as a stark reminder that the culture of “business as usual” in Liberian football is under an unprecedented microscope.