Monrovia – The chairman of the Liberia Football Award Committee, Cllr J. Cole Bangalu, has stated that no member of his committee has recused themselves, directly contradicting LFA president, Mustapha Raji, who claimed that co-chair Benita Urey had recused herself from the process.
By Jaheim T. Tumu – [email protected]
Bangalu’s statement came a few hours after the LFA Boss stated on Truth FM Sports Talks that Ms. Urey had recused herself from the counting of votes in the LFA Awards process.
Raji told the public that Ms. Urey had recused herself from the process, and anyone with a conflict of interest on the committee should professionally recuse themselves when making those decisions. According to him, Ms. Urey has already taken the necessary step by recusing herself from the vote-counting process, which is one aspect of the award process.
Raji emphasized, “Professionally, you should recuse yourself. This decision has already been endorsed by the committee chair, and the committee is following suit.”
He added, “What more do you want the LFA to do when the person has already recused themselves from participating in the count? I think it would be unfair to Madam Urey when she has taken the right step to recuse herself from the counting process while still being involved in other aspects of the awards.”
However, a few hours after Raji’s radio appearance, Bangalu disclosed in a press conference that none of his committee members would recuse themselves from the committee. This statement was made in response to Prime FM Sports Editor, Michael Solomon, who questioned Ms. Urey’s impartiality regarding the award, especially after one of her players, Miatta Morris, was shortlisted.
Miatta Morris, a former Ambassador FC attacker, is pending nomination from club coaches, captains, and journalists to be officially considered for the award.
Bangalu, however, stressed that the system is designed in a way that no committee member has influence over the voting process.
Said Bangalu, “I have seen the complaints, but in my opinion, they do not warrant any decision that would lead to the removal of any committee members. It surprises me to hear that even journalists are concerned that committee members might have influence over the award’s outcome; this is not the case. They are not voting, campaigning, or nominating. They have zero influence on who the winners are. You, the journalists, the captains, and the coaches are the ones who can influence the process through your votes,” Cllr Bangalu stressed.
