CAF warns affiliates over licenses-Liberian clubs at risk?
The Confederation of African Football has warned its affiliates, including Liberian FA, that clubs that do not meet minimum requirements under the Club Licensing system risk being banned from taking part in the Champions League and Confederation Cup tournament next year.
The resolution was made at the CAF Executive Committee held in Cairo at the weekend. The Club Licensing System was formulated by FIFA at their Congress in Munich in 2006, and is aimed at giving the game a more professional outlook.
Liberia football in recent time has come under sever criticism with mainly fan calling for the change of administration of the Liberian FA. With 12 clubs in the 1st division of the, this mean that with this system all should adhere to the system for the coming season of or lose participating CAF events.
The question now is – do the clubs in the Liberian league currently have what it takes to meet the system? Your answer is good as my, as next year competition participants will have to show these facilities before they can participate in the CAF competition.
Among the many clubs clearly in this category are not visible the case now is the next CAF Confederation representation for Liberia( BYC Football and FATU FC ) do they meet this system as they both risk not participating in the competition if they are not in the position to get these facilities in place.
The Liberian FA, who is supposed to be issuing out licenses to the local teams, are also expected to meet certain guidelines before they get their accreditation from CAF.
Under the guidelines, the clubs are supposed to meet certain requirements which include owning infrastructure like administration offices, employing qualified personnel to run their financial, marketing and media departments, developing sound junior teams, investing in training facilities and own stadiums for training and matches. The clubs should also be in a position to issue audited accounts at the end of each year before they are issued with a license.
The CAF leadership, led by President Issa Hayatou, convened in Egypt last week, and the continental football body has given all national associations up to the end of the year to ensure that they adhere to the guidelines, as a way to ensure that they introduce professionalism in the game.
“The CAF Executive Committee has tasked its affiliated National Associations to ensure the mandatory implementation of the Club Licensing directive (including national club licensing regulations, decision-making bodies and statutory provisions) by the end of 2013. National Associations that fail to meet the requirement could have their clubs banned from CAF Club competitions for the year 2014,” read a statement from FIFA. – By Peterking Quaye (Snr. Sports Journalist –Liberiaentertainment.com/sports)
