FC Fassell and Nimba FC have withdrawn their participation in the one phase league organized by the Liberia Football Association.
The two pulled out of the league just 72 hours to the commencement of the league.
The two have not told the media reasons for their pulled out, neither has the LFA said why, but there are reports of financial constraints facing the two teams.
FC Fassell one of the three clubs that attracted the best cream of local players owing to their financial powers is said to be facing a serious financial crisis as their CEO, the former LFA VPO Cassell Kouh remains in US custody.
His incarceration is said to have caused the club financial setbacks as he was the only financier for the team.
The Soccer Missionaries as Fassell was referred to, won the last league season from games results, but protest issue took the title off their hands. The team had hoped that winning the title last season would have brought them new sponsors or buyer.
Though they managed to sell some of their best players, the club cannot afford the money to keep hold of the rest of the players or purchase new ones.
For Nimba FC who recently gained promotion to the first division, there are other issues beyond the financial issues that may be factors for their pulled out.
George Solo who took the LFA to court over the April 14 election is Vice President for the team and has not been in the country for a long period. It is believed by him and his campaigners, as well as some football followers that his case he took at the Civil Law Court has not been adjudicated as his camp, says the LFA Presidential Candidate in the April 14 vote has not been given his much sought after “due process” from the LFA Elections Committee.
An inside source told The Monrovia Times that Nimba FC has not been able to hold a board meeting to commit the team into the national league because they feel they have issues unanswered.
Nimba FC is heavily supported by Liberian International Sam Johnson who played for the clubs just before leaving Liberia for Europe.
The two clubs have written the LFA, informing them of their inabilities to compete in the 2018 league.
Their withdrawer has left the LFA First Division with ten clubs instead of 12. The LFA has acted swiftly in making an adjustment to the league fixture. The remaining clubs are drawn in two groups of five for the 2018 League which kicks off Monday at the ATS.
