The Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has announced the official launch of the 2020/2021 County Meet. The league is expected to begin on January 9, 2021 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS), with premier sponsorship from Orange Liberia.
Officially launching the County Meet at a major press conference held at the Samuel Kanyan Does Sports Complex in Paynesville on Thursday, Minister of Youth & Sports, Dester Zeogar Wilson, thanked Orange for its support for the various sporting activities in Liberia, including the company’s long standing support of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) and the Liberia Basketball Association (LBA). Minister Wilson said, “We thank Orange for its tremendous support to the Government of Liberia (GOL) and sports in general.” He intimated that the support from Orange was crucial for the successful implementation of the County Meet.
The Minister of Youth and Sports was joined by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Varney Sirleaf, who referred to the event as Liberia’s great unifier. Minister Sirleaf said that the hosting of the county meet was essential to helping to foster unity and togetherness amongst Liberia’s 15 political subdivisions. He stated that the county meet went beyond being a sports event and extended into a true and effective tool for promoting unity and reconciliation across Liberia.
Orange Liberia’s Director for Legal and Governmental Affairs, Supu Cole Sr., proxied for CEO Jean Marius Yao, who reassured the ministry of Orange Liberia’s continued commitment to the success of the County Meet. Cole highlighted Orange Liberia’s long history of supporting football in Liberia, and stated that Orange would continue to work alongside the ministry and the Government of Liberia (GOL) to ensure that Liberia becomes a football powerhouse in Africa.
Buttressing the CEO, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Orange Liberia, Julien Paquier, said that Orange would ensure broadcast of the county meet across a wide range of platforms to ensure that fans fully enjoy the games remotely. He said that Orange would unveil other promotions as the official league dates drew closer.
The County meet is one of the most heavily anticipated sports events in Liberia, with its final matches drawing thousands of fans from across the county. The Minister of Youth & Sports however stated that this year’s league would be held under strict health protocols, including limiting the number of spectators in the stadium and imposing a mandatory requirement for fans to have a mask to enter various stadiums. “No mask means no entry,” Minister Wilson concluded.