Monrovia – Liberia Football Association First Division outfit Nimba Kwado has refused to return the 2020/2021 Best Goal Keeper Award to the LFA.
Mohammed Kanu of Kwado was awarded The Best Goal Keeper award at the award ceremony on October 2, 2021 but days after the LFA said it was a mistake by the award committee to announcement the award and requested the player or his club to return the award to be given to Heaven Eleven keeper Taddy Kollie.
The football house decision followed a threat from Heaven Eleven FC that they were not treated fairly during the award ceremony and was pulling out of the League because as champions, they deserved an award most especially the best goalkeeper.
Heaven Eleven which is also based in Nimba County concern forced the FA to counter check their statistics after which they realized that the statistics show that Kollie is the rightful recipient of the award.
In a letter to the two clubs on 6 October, LFA secretary-general Isaac Montgomery said records from the competitions department showed that Kollie kept the most-clean sheets, which was the sole criterion for the winner.
Kollie played 25 games, kept 15 clean sheets and conceded 14 goals in the Orange second division while Kanu played 19 games, kept 12 clean sheets and conceded 12 goals in the Orange first division.
But in response to the FA’s communication, Kwado posted on Facebook that they will not return the award on grounds that their player deserves the award.
“Our goalkeeper, Mohammed Kanu is the rightful winner of the LFA/Orange “Best Goalkeeper” Award for the 2021 League Season,” they stated.
“We are not returning the trophy award, as requested by you (LFA)”.
“We look forward to receiving the cash award as soon as possible”.
“We await the rectification of your decision sent via email and offer our club and player a deserving apology”.
“Failure to receive the cash award upon delivery of other winners, we will be left with no other option but to seek an appropriate redress.”
With the latest statement from Kwado it still unknown what will be the next action taken by the FA but as it stands Kollie is named the best keeper while Kanu has the award.