Court case stops Liberia league

Ledgerhood Rennie
BBC Sport, Monrovia

Mighty Barolle have been using this pitch for league matches

Liberia's top flight league has been stopped as 10 teams have taken the Liberia Football Association (LFA) to court.

The clubs are concerned about the organisation of the 16-team league and the lack of sponsorship.

A court hearing is expected to take place within ten days, and the LFA will now have to halt the league until the matter is heard.

A spokesman for the aggrieved clubs, Andy Quamie, outlined the club's demands.

"We want a full sponsorship of the league, attractive financial rewards and conducive playing venues," Quamie told BBC Sport.

"We also want a rescheduling of the league to October, the start of the dry season, as the heavy rains this time of the year have a great impact on the wear and tear of our playing equipment."

Liberia's main venue for league matches, the Antoinette Tubman Stadium, has been closed down for refurbishment.

The league began four weeks ago, and the opening matches have been played at unorthodox venues and the clubs say the alternative stadiums are not safe.

"We can't imagine the LFA is pushing us to play at venues with no security at all Quamie said."

Despite the claims by the clubs, the LFA says the teams are being insensitive with their demands.

"The LFA is looking into improving the league through sponsorship but with the teams bickering, it would be difficult to attract such a deal," the secretary-general of the LFA, George Williams said.

"They must understand the overall economic and infrastructural challenges we are facing, and be realistic in their demands."

The LFA has revealed that it is in talks with a Ghana based firm Avantis over a US$160,000 sponsorship deal for the league.