Monrovia- The Sports Writers Association of Liberia has challenge its member Edwin Battaforyan of Kool FM to provide evidence for his accusation of some members of accepting bribe to tarnish the reputation of football stakeholders.
Battaforyan accused Sports Writers or journalists of receiving bribe to tarnish the reputation of Ms. Benita Urey who is a member of the Liberia Football Association 2023 awards committee on Kool FM Sports Wednesday August 30, 2023 presentation.
SWAL in a release said it sees the accusation from one of its own member against other SWAL members as troubling as it is an attack on the integrity of the entire Sports writing body.
“SWAL is therefore calling on Kool FM Sports presenter Edwin Battaforyan to provide the names of those SWAL members he knows were given bribe to tarnish the reputation of Ms Urey, who has in recent times contributed to the development of football in Liberia’.
The release signed by SWAL president Kolubah Zayzay is therefore asking Battaforyan to provide evidence to his accusation as SWAL wants to name, shame and take serious action against individuals bringing the organization into public disrepute.
“The Sports Writers Association of Liberia wishes to inform the public and stakeholders that the association strongly condemn the report of bribe taking to undermine the professional ethics SWAL.
While SWAL encourages its members to hold Sports stakeholder’s feet to the fire, it wants members of the body to do so professionally and ethically.
Battaforyan’ s failure to provide evidence to substantiate his allegation would mean that his story is false and misleading only intended to bad mouth SWAL.
SWAL is challenging Battaforyan and his Kool FM to provide evidence to their claims so as to weed out bad apples from the association.
At the same time, SWAL is urging its members who are being critical of sports stakeholders to do so without biases and sentiment, but rather be fair and balance with the issues abide.
SWAL is also calling on its members to desist from politicizing efforts being made by the LFA and football stakeholders to better football.
Ton Tuesday Prime FM sports editor Michael Solomon posted on social media that Benita Urey should step aside from the committee because of conflict of interest.
“Benita Urey, I can see your exuberance on the awards committee but I strongly urge you to step aside for the sake of the integrity of the committee ahead of the 2022-23 LFA awards with immediate effect. For the good of the game and the fairness we all do our best to promote, recuse yourself as soon as possible.
You’re a ranking member of now upper women’s league club [ Shaita Angels ], a club with a potential candidate for the ‘Most Valuable Player of the year’ award, Miatta Morris. Obviously, you’ll NEVER be independent throughout the process especially when a player you now see as a “big player” is one of the few in line to win the MVP award. Your influence might just be a factor but a disadvantage to the rest: Edwardline Jackson, Nigerian C. Jackson, Mabinty Camara and Louis T. Brown. Step aside, let’s make this fun for the girls and avoid discrepancies along the way.
Remember when now PRESIDENT Raji had to step aside as President of LISCR? Remember when he also recently announced that he had to step aside from the negotiations of the Orange Cup deal? It was out of fear of conflict of interest. Well, it was/is the right thing to do for the good of the game. You can do the same and continue to encourage stakeholders to vote for your preferred ‘MVP’ as it is your right to do so.’ He posted on Facebook.