Grand Cape Mount County has forcefully rejected a ruling calling for a replay of its disputed match against Lofa County, describing the decision as unlawful, illogical, and harmful to the integrity of Liberian football.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Cape Mount Sports Sterling Committee, county officials maintained that the December 21 encounter was not lost on the field of play, but rather decided by what they described as the illegal actions of Lofa County, specifically the fielding of an ineligible player.
According to the statement, the Appeal Committee’s own findings confirmed a fraudulent player transfer, a violation that, under established competition rules, automatically attracts forfeiture. The committee argued that both domestic regulations and the FIFA Disciplinary Code are explicit in upholding forfeiture where ineligible players or match manipulation are involved.
Grand Cape Mount further asserted that the original ruling of the Protest Committee, issued on December 29, correctly applied the law and should remain the only valid decision. That ruling awarded the match to Cape Mount by forfeiture, a position the county says cannot be overturned without undermining the rule of law within football administration.
“What is being staged is an illegitimate replay that seeks to wash away a proven violation,” the statement read, warning that allowing the match to be replayed would set a dangerous precedent for future competitions.
The county has now formally called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Football Association to reaffirm the supremacy of Article XVIII and FIFA principles, uphold the original forfeiture decision, and advance Grand Cape Mount County to the next round of the tournament.
Framing the issue beyond a single fixture, the committee emphasized that its stance is about protecting the credibility of the sport itself.
“This is not merely a protest,” the statement concluded. “It is a defense of the very integrity of the beautiful game in Liberia.”
