–As Lone Star Plays South Africa in March

When the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Federation of International Football (FIFA) banned the Samuel Kanyon Sports Complex some time ago for not meeting international standards to host matches, the Liberian government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports had to dig deep into the national coffers to provide funds to give the stadium the needed standard demanded internationally.

IPNEWS gathered that the government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports had to spend about US$500,000 to purchase 35,000 buckets for installation in the entire seating capacity of the SDK Sports Complex that was constructed in the 1980s under the Samuel Kanyon Doe regime after slain President William R. Tolbert had secured the agreement with the Peoples Republic of China before he was brutally overthrown and killed on April 12, 1980.

To have other facilities at the SKD upgraded to international standards, including a medical/First Aid facility within the SKD, referee rooms, dressing rooms for teams, media room, conference room, washrooms, toilets, flood, laying of an artificial turf among many others the Liberian government had to spend some millions to bring the stadium on par in keeping with international standards.

Following the upgrading of the SKD Sports Complex to international standard, CAF and FIFA then lifted the ban imposed on the stadium, thus paving the way for Liberia to host South Africa in March this year in a qualifying competition after the country could not host any international game at the SKD Sports Complex for over two years.

But speaking to the media after the County Meet, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Andy Quamie, disclosed that in February of this year CAF and FIFA are due to send inspectors to do a final inspection on the stadium which is intended to give green light for Liberia to host South Africa in March. But according to Deputy Minister Quamie, if the Liberians who throng daily to the SKD Sports Complex to watch games especially during the just held National County Sports Meet did not desist from damaging the bucket seats at the stadium and the inspectors come and flag that, it could pose a risk for the SKD Sports Complex to be banned again, thus denying the country its rights to host home games there.

Disclosing the recent damage done to some of the bucket seats at the SKD Sports Complex, Deputy Minister Quamie said just within two days, unscrupulous fans destroyed a total of 41 seats at the SKD Sports Complex, with seven of those located in the VVIP section. “It is hard to believe that spectators will leave the pathway in the stadium but will chose to stand in the seats and break them. In as much as we have some in stock to replace any damaged seat, that does not give anybody the right to destroy any of the bucket seats mounted at the SKD Sports Complex,” Deputy Minister Quamie told a local radio.

The Deputy Youth and Sports Minister cautioned Liberians to desist from flooding the perimeter and playing pitch of the SKD Sports Complex after a given match, because they have no business being in the section of the stadium during match time. Deputy Minister Quamie lamented such action risked the stadium being banned again.

Prior to the installation of the bucket seats at the SKD Sports Complex, the seating capacity after it was constructed in the 1980s was put at 35,000 but after the installation of the bucket seats, the new seating capacity is put at 22,039 seats, while the Organizing Committee prints only 19,000 tickets per day, which is in keeping with FIFA regulation which says tickets printed for a given match should be 5% less of the seating capacity of a stadium.

Touching on the flood lights at the SKD for night games, Deputy Minister Quamie disclosed through budgetary allotment, the old analog lights will be replaced with LED lights in keeping with FIFA set standards to ensure the visibility needed to host night matches.

As the same time, Liberia Football Association (LFA) president Mustapha Raji disclosed that at least 27-30,000 United States Dollars are needed to have those damaged seats replaced at the SKD, and he is hoping when the CAF and FIFA inspection teams come they must use the broken seats situation to deny Liberia of not playing at home once again.

He disclosed the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the government are doing everything possible to ensure there are no impediments for the SKD to return to hosting home games for Liberia.

Liberia to Play Crucial Nation’s Cup Qualifier against South Africa on Home

Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville City will once again come alive on continental duty when the Nation’s Pride and Joy, the Lone Star of Liberia will host Bafana Bafana of South Africa on March 28, 2023.

According to the latest referees’ assignment, Liberia will welcome South Africa on March 28, 2023 at the refurbished Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville at 16 hours GMT.

Other assignments on the same date include: Mozambique vs. Senegal at the Maputo /Estadio Natcional D Zimpeto at 4 hour GMT and Rwanda vs. Benin on March 27, 2023 at the Huye/ Huye Stadium at 1hr GMT respectively.

The referees schedule suggests that ongoing work at the SKD facility is satisfactory, thus far.

SKD to Be Lighted Next Month.

It can be recalled that since the ban on the facility, the government of Liberia through the sector Ministry has made tremendous strides to ensure that the SKD meets CAF’s requirements.

Individual or bucket seats, media tribune , media center , dugout seats , medical room, anti-doping center, video operating center among others, were some of the CAF requirements of which according to Minister Quamie, the government has achieved and or made 70% Completion.

The lasted referees schedule now shows that the Ministry of Youth and Sports headed by Minster D. Zeogar Wilson including the Liberia Football Association headed by President Mustapha Raji work over the period especially on the SKD facility has been a remarkable success and a great achievement, thus far.

Even though, more work still needs to be done mainly with the lighting system and the electronic ticketing thumb print, officials at the Ministry can now breathe fresh air and have some relief unlike before.

It is now expected that happy fans and Liberians who did not have the time to cheer their beloved Lone Star team inside the famous SKD stadium due to the ban on the facility since two years ago, will now have the opportunity to cheer and motivate their team to utilize their home and numerical advantage to overpower their away opponent.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Quamie has sounded a warning to Liberians to put up their best behavior and cheer their Country to victory void of pitch evasion as already, the facility is on a time bomb of suspended suspension.