Published: August 1, 2025
MONROVIA — Determine Girls FC departed Liberia on Thursday for the 2025 WAFU Zone A qualifiers of the CAF Women’s Champions League—without their designated head of delegation, Rochell G.D. Woodson, amid rising tensions and unanswered questions.
Though seen at Roberts International Airport ahead of the team’s departure, Woodson did not board the flight to Dakar, Senegal. Video obtained by The Liberian Investigator shows the former Liberia Football Association (LFA) Executive Committee member leaving the terminal with her luggage.
A statement on Determine Girls’ official social media pages confirmed the team’s departure but omitted any reference to Woodson’s status.
Sources close to the club said Woodson experienced a ticketing issue and is expected to travel later with additional delegates. However, documents reviewed by The Liberian Investigator paint a more complex picture.
A flight itinerary issued by Jos Travel and Tours Inc., addressed to Woodson more than a week before the team’s departure, included her name as head of delegation on an official travel list sent by Determine Girls President Grace Hawa Weah. The ticket was reportedly scheduled for pickup on July 31.
Neither the club nor Woodson has publicly clarified the circumstances surrounding her exclusion. Woodson has remained silent despite repeated inquiries.
Tensions Behind the Scenes
The controversy follows the club’s formal petition to the LFA weeks earlier, requesting that Woodson be replaced as head of delegation due to internal conflict with the club’s chief financier, Cassell A. Kuoh.
“In the interest of unity and national representation, we respectfully request that the LFA select an alternative head of delegation,” the letter read.
Speaking to The Liberian Investigator, club president Weah confirmed the rift.
“It’s no secret in the football community that there have been tensions between Sister Rochell and CEO Mr. Kuoh,” she said. “Appointing her under such strained conditions could create distractions during this important tournament.”
LFA President Mustapha Raji, however, downplayed the concerns, noting that the head of delegation “does not interfere with coaching or matchday responsibilities and serves only as a liaison.”
Strategic Snub or Logistical Mishap?
Given the club’s earlier objections and the unresolved ticket confusion, observers are divided. Some view Woodson’s absence as a deliberate move by Determine Girls to sideline an LFA appointee they did not support. Others see it as an act of institutional defiance or a quiet rebuke of the LFA’s authority.
Still, some stakeholders argue the LFA’s insistence on Woodson’s appointment—despite documented internal tension—was itself provocative, potentially setting up friction within the squad.
Tournament Outlook
Amid the off-field drama, Determine Girls will open their campaign in Dakar on August 5, facing Kam Kamara FC of Sierra Leone at 7 p.m. GMT. This marks their fifth straight appearance in the tournament since their debut in 2020.
Their sustained success has boosted the visibility of Liberian women’s football. But as they aim for regional glory, unresolved internal disputes threaten to distract from their preparations on the pitch.
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