Liberia face World Cup crisis

Ledgerhood Rennie
BBC Sport, Monrovia

Liberia has invited home-based players for the tie in Lome

Togo's World Cup qualifier at home to Liberia on Sunday is in doubt after the Liberian government announced it is unable to fund the team's trip to Lome.

The Lone Star need some US$31,000 to travel to Togo for the Group One tie.

Yet Liberia will face a number of stringent punishments should they fail to fulfil the fixture.

Fifa rules for the 2006 World Cup state that any team that withdraws after the start of the qualifying competition is liable to a fine of US$31,895.

This is just more than the sum needed for the trip to Lome.

Liberia could also be thrown out of Group One and be banned from attempting to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Rule 7 in Article 10 of Fifa rules states that any team that fails to report for a match 'shall, as a general rule, be excluded from further participation in the competition so that none of its matches will be deemed valid.'

'Furthermore,' the rules continue, 'the guilty association shall be disqualified from taking part in the next Fifa World Cup.'

The country's Minister of Information, Dr C. William Allen, said the government decision was made at a senior cabinet meeting and was because of budgetary constraints.

"The demobilization and restructuring program of the Armed Forces of Liberia is a major national priority that has placed constraints on the national budget," he said.

"As a result of the huge expenditure, the National Transitional Government of Liberia has decided it is unfeasible to underwrite the Lone Star's travel to Togo."

But the Liberia Football Association said it was too late to abandon the game.

"It is not as simple as they think it seems," LFA secretary general Yanqueh Borsay said.

"We risk FIFA and CAF sanctions coming with huge fines. We will just have to turn to our friends for help."

The LFA is likely to call on the goodwill of large businesses in Monrovia to salvage the embarrassment, while the Sports Ministry has already sent out appeal letters to the 22 Presidential candidates.

Whether they will succeed in generating the funds is open to debate as Liberia are bottom of the group and public interest in the team is low.

The usual bankroll of Presidential candidate, George Weah, could just be a lifeline if the former national captain and coach arrives in time from his trip from Monaco in France.