The President of the Liberia Chess Federation (LCF), Thomas Karyah, has alarmed that officials of the sport are under pressure from creditors who funded their travels to Budapest, Hungary.
The federation, while preparing to participate in the 45th World Chess Olympiad, had to borrow from business people after the government failed to provide an allotted US$47,000 for the delegation’s departure in September 2024.
Speaking as guest on two separate sports programs on Saturday, October 5, 2024, Karyah said the government is yet to release the allocation in order for them to reimburse the creditors.
He said chess officials have tried their possible best since their return almost two weeks ago, but nothing is working out for them.
Karyah alleged that since April, people from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Finance keep pushing them around without any hope of getting the money. “We are under serious pressure from those people and the interest rate keep increasing on us,” he explained.
He said he believes that the financial situation was some of the reasons that led to players on the open session team boycotting games, significantly affecting the team’s overall performance and morale. “The team faced numerous challenges during the competition due to the lack of government support,” he noted.
Speaking further, Karyah appealed to the government to release the allotted funds to enable the federation to reimburse those who extended credit to them.
Acknowledging the Chess Federation’s frustration, the Deputy Minister for Sports at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, G. Andy Quamie, said the ministry is working out modality to resolve the issue.
According to him, the ministry is not the problem for the LCF not getting its allotment up till now.
“Karyah, you know we are not the problem to the money coming, but we are working things out in the back to make sure the money is given very soon,” he told the Liberia Chess Federation President when he phoned in on Truth FM’s sports talk program.
