Published: May 8, 2026
MONROVIA — The African Beach Soccer Union has named two Liberians to its reconstituted standing committees, elevating officials whose domestic standing with the Liberia Football Association is under active dispute — one contesting his dismissal as an LFA employee, the other appealing a disqualification from the association’s upcoming presidential election.
Clarence Lee Chea, the former Liberia Beach Soccer coordinator whose contract the LFA terminated in March, was appointed to the ABSU Competitions Committee, chaired by Jonathan Kassano of Tanzania, with Senegal’s Médoune Sylla serving as co-chair. Sekou V. Keita, who was barred last month from contesting the May 15 LFA presidential election on procedural grounds, was appointed to the ABSU Media and Communication Committee, chaired by Ghana’s Yaw Ampofo, with South Africa’s Neto Chemane as vice chair.
ABSU said the committee reconstitution followed resolutions adopted at its 2026 Annual General Meeting, where members agreed to refine committee structures to support the union’s expanding activities across competitions, development programs and stakeholder engagement. “The move reflects ABSU’s commitment to continuity, institutional strengthening and improved delivery of its strategic objectives,” the union said in a statement.
The continental appointments, however, do little to resolve either man’s standing at home.
Chea’s dismissal from the LFA came in March after the association said he was absent from work without explanation. His termination letter, signed by LFA Secretary-General Emmett Crayton, cited Section 14.3(vii) of Liberia’s Decent Work Act of 2015, which permits dismissal when an employee is absent for more than 10 consecutive days or more than 20 days within a six-month period without good cause. Before the termination, Chea had been transferred to Grand Bassa County following reports that he signed a proposal seeking amendments to an integrity clause in the LFA statutes. He has called the dismissal illegal and said he intends to pursue legal action against the association.
Keita’s disqualification from the LFA election came on a technicality. The Electoral Committee found that he satisfied eligibility requirements on age, nationality, residency, education, football involvement and integrity — but ruled his nomination invalid because it failed to comply with Article 45.3 of the LFA statutes, which requires that candidates be proposed by at least one member association. “In light of this deficiency, and in strict adherence to the binding provisions of the LFA Statutes and Electoral Code, the Independent Electoral Committee hereby declares aspirant Sekou V. Keita disqualified,” the committee said in its ruling. Keita has appealed to the LFA Appeals Committee and said he is prepared to escalate the matter to continental and global football authorities if that appeal fails.
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