MONROVIA — Liberia Athletics Federation (LAF) President Mulbah Zaza is asking on the federal government to reevaluate the construction and id of the Nationwide County Sports activities Meet, criticizing the continued exclusion of athletics from the annual match and questioning whether or not it ought to nonetheless be thought-about a very “nationwide” sporting occasion.
In an unique interview with The Liberian Investigator, Zaza stated that labeling the occasion a Nationwide County Sports activities Meet is deceptive when solely soccer and kickball are constantly prioritized.
“The winner of the match must be decided by the variety of trophies or factors from the assorted sporting disciplines,” he argued. “Why do they name it a Nationwide County Sports activities Meet when solely the soccer winner is acknowledged?”
Zaza recalled that in earlier editions, the general champions have been decided by cumulative performances throughout a number of disciplines. He urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports activities to revisit that format and mandate counties to discipline groups in different sports activities, particularly observe and discipline.
“It’s a disservice to different sports activities when solely the soccer winners are thought-about the winners of the County Meet,” he stated.
Zaza additionally challenged the federal government’s oft-repeated declare that the match creates short-term jobs and promotes youth empowerment. He questioned how such objectives will be achieved if solely two disciplines are supported.
“We are saying we wish to present short-term empowerment alternatives for younger individuals and uncover new abilities in the course of the County Meet, however we solely concentrate on kickball and soccer,” he stated.
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The LAF president clarified that his concern shouldn’t be about sidelining soccer or kickball, however relatively about fairness and the missed alternative to showcase and assist disciplines like athletics, which have introduced worldwide glory to Liberia.
“If the federal government doesn’t put money into sports activities, will probably be a disfavor to younger individuals, lots of whom are going wayward every day,” Zaza stated. “We expect if we are able to create a platform that these youngsters will be absorbed into, we are able to go a great distance in resolving the problems of medicine and youngsters within the streets.”
He emphasised the values instilled by athletics–discipline, well being consciousness, and drug-free life.
“Whenever you do athletics, you do not drink, you do not smoke,” he stated. “We all the time train our athletes about medicine and their dangerous nature. We name it anti-doping.”
Zaza additionally celebrated the latest worldwide success of Liberian-American sprinter Thelma Davies, who set a brand new nationwide file within the girls’s 100 meters with a blistering time of 10.91 seconds on the World Athletics Continental Tour within the Czech Republic. Davies edged out Ivorian dash icon Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith, who clocked 10.92 seconds.
Zaza hailed Davies as one of many world’s premier athletes, noting her rise to seventh within the world rankings.
“With athletes like Thelma Davies, Joseph Fahnbulleh, Ebony Morrison and the remaining, it’s clear that athletics is Liberia’s greatest sport and must be supported always by the federal government,” he stated.
