Published: September 22, 2025
MONROVIA — The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has suspended the president of Determine Girls Football Club, accusing her of ethics violations and breaches of its statutes after a dispute over the delegation of officials for an international tournament.
In a statement issued following an Executive Committee meeting, the LFA said the sanction against Madam Weah stemmed from her refusal to accept the appointment of Rochell G.D. Woodson as head of delegation for the club’s participation in the West African Football Union (WAFU) “A” Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
According to the LFA, Weah compounded the situation by issuing what it described as “multiple fake airline tickets” to Woodson, leaving the appointed delegate stranded at Roberts International Airport “in shock and total disgrace.”
Citing Chapter 6, Article 2.1 of the National Leagues Rules, the association said it is mandated to designate the head of delegation for all international football assignments, while clubs remain responsible for funding travel and logistics.
The suspension, which bars Weah from all football-related activities and prohibits her from entering football facilities across the country, will remain in effect while the matter is investigated by the LFA Ethics Committee.
“The maintenance of the integrity of our football lies in adhering to the rule of law and respecting our statutes,” the LFA said in its communication.
Weah Fires Back
Weah has strongly rejected the decision, calling it “unlawful, unjust and without basis.”
In a Sept. 18 letter addressed to the LFA Secretariat, she argued that the cited statute applies to clubs and associations — legal entities — not to individual officials.
“Determine Girls FC is a duly registered corporation under Liberian law and is the recognized member of the LFA,” she wrote. “As president, I serve in an official capacity, but I am not myself a member under Article 18.3(A).”
Weah further accused the Secretariat of overstepping its role by imposing sanctions without referring the matter to the judicial bodies of the LFA — the Ethics, Disciplinary and Appeals Committees.
“The Secretariat’s role is administrative. Its duty is to transmit matters to the competent judicial committees, not to impose sanctions itself,” she added.
While pledging to cooperate with the Ethics Committee, she vowed to resist attempts to tarnish her reputation.
“I have been wrongly targeted, and this decision cannot stand,” Weah said. “Football in Liberia can only progress when rules are applied fairly, consistently and in accordance with the law.”
A Pattern of Sanctions
This marks the second time in recent months that Weah has faced disciplinary action from the LFA. Earlier this year, she was suspended in connection with alleged ethical violations linked to the 2025 League Awards. That sanction was later lifted.
Her repeated run-ins with the association now raise questions about governance within Liberian women’s football, especially at a time when Determine Girls remain one of the nation’s most successful clubs on the regional stage.
The matter has been referred to the LFA Ethics Committee, which will conduct a full investigation before determining whether to uphold, modify or overturn the suspension.
For now, Weah remains barred from all football-related activity — a blow to Determine Girls as they prepare for continental competition. The situation also underscores lingering tensions between the LFA’s leadership and some of its most prominent clubs, with implications for the credibility of the domestic women’s game.
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