National News
Monrovia — The Liberia Football Association (LFA), through its Grievance and Disciplinary Committee (GDC), has imposed sanctions on Benita Whitney Urey, the 27-year-old Chief Executive Officer and President of Shaita Angels, over alleged involvement in match manipulation linked to a recent league fixture.
By: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr
In a statement circulated to the media on Thursday, the GDC accused Urey of “facilitating or attempting to facilitate the fixing of matches involving Shaita Angels and other clubs in the Liberian First Division.” The committee reportedly imposed a five-year ban from all football-related activities, pending a formal hearing.
Urey has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as false, misleading, and politically motivated. In a public statement, she vowed to appeal the ruling and pursue legal action to clear her name.
“I categorically reject and denounce this claim as false, misleading, and politically motivated,” Urey said. “This baseless accusation is clearly intended to target me because of my open support for Cassell A. Kuoh’s presidential bid.”
Urey further asserted that the sanction was based on speculation rather than evidence, insisting that no individual has accused her of offering money or inducements to influence match outcomes.
“The so-called ban is founded on mere gossip, with no proof, no evidence, and not a single person coming forward to claim that I ever gave them money,” she stated.
She also denied allegations that she communicated with any Paynesville FC players regarding match-fixing, as referenced in the LFA’s decision, and questioned the timing of the sanction, noting that it coincides with heightened political activity ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
According to Urey, she plans to file a formal appeal before the LFA Disciplinary Appeals Committee and pursue “all necessary legal actions” to defend her integrity and the reputation of opposition-aligned football administrators.
She described the ruling as part of what she termed persistent targeting by the current football administration, adding that she would exhaust all legal and administrative avenues available to challenge the decision.
The LFA has not yet publicly responded to Urey’s claims of political motivation. The matter is expected to proceed through the association’s internal appeals process, with potential legal implications depending on the outcome.
