Monrovia–The President of the Liberia Athletics Federation (LAF), Mulbah Zaza, has strongly criticized experiences that athletics will probably be excluded from the upcoming 2025/2026 Nationwide County Sports activities Meet, calling it a continued marginalization of the game.
By: Christopher C Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
His feedback comply with rising criticism of the County Meet’s construction, which has reportedly sidelined athletics for the previous 4 editions regardless of its worldwide success for Liberia. “We are saying we wish to present short-term empowerment for younger folks and uncover new abilities through the County Meet,” Zaza famous, “however we solely concentrate on kickball and soccer.”
Billed as Liberia’s largest annual sporting occasion, the Nationwide County Sports activities Meet is meant to showcase multi-sport competitors and numerous youth expertise from all 15 counties.
Nevertheless, latest editions have centered totally on soccer kickball and Basketball as the one different self-discipline.
Athletics, a sport that has produced Olympians, African medalists, and scholarship recipients, has reportedly been absent from the schedule.
With rumors swirling about one other exclusion for the upcoming version, Zaza expressed his frustration. “This might be the fifth straight County Meet with out athletics,” he mentioned. “It’s unacceptable. Athletics is not only a sport it’s a confirmed pathway to success for tons of of younger Liberians.”
Regardless of soccer receiving nearly all of authorities consideration and funding, athletics has constantly introduced worldwide recognition to Liberia by means of occasions just like the Olympics, African Championships, and World Athletics championships.
Athletes akin to Welington Zaza, Ebony Morrison, and Joseph Fahnbulleh have competed on international levels.
In the meantime,quite a few aspiring runners prepare day by day throughout Liberia with restricted sources and no nationwide platform.
“Athletics has introduced Liberia extra worldwide medals than every other sport,” Zaza highlighted. “But we get no lane at our largest native occasion? How is that truthful?”
Zaza is advocating for a points-based scoring system on the County Meet, much like these utilized in regional and worldwide multi-sport tournaments.
Below such a system, counties would compete in numerous sports activities, with general efficiency figuring out the winner, fairly than simply the soccer last.
“Let each sport rely,” Zaza urged. “That approach, the County Meet can really replicate the spirit of inclusion and youth improvement that it claims to advertise.”
Because the Ministry of Youth and Sports activities plans the 2025/2026 version, Zaza’s feedback underscore a perceived disconnect between the nation’s youth coverage targets and their implementation.
“We’re not asking for tens of millions or stadiums,” Zaza clarified. “We’re asking for a good shot. Give athletics a lane, and watch what these younger athletes can do.”
With rising public curiosity and calls from the sporting neighborhood, justifying the continued exclusion of athletics from Liberia’s “Nationwide” County Meet might show difficult. Zaza and others warn that with out reforms, the County Meet will stay, of their view, a soccer match in disguise.
When contacted for response to the information of a deliberate exclusion of Athletics from the upcoming County Meet Deputy Minister of Sports activities G. Andy Quamie mentioned a call has be taken. “No choice has been made but, it would relies on the provision of funds,” Andy Quamie mentioned.
