Africa-Press – Liberia. FIFA Trained Sports Writer Urges NPA Management to Probe Decision, Says Act “Sets A Dangerous Precedent” In Liberian Sports.
The 2025 Liberia Basketball Association (LBA) First Division Finals were expected to deliver a thrilling conclusion to the season. Instead, fans were left stunned after NPA Pythons boycotted Game Four, handing the championship title to the LPRC Oilers without contest.
Pythons’ decision to walk away citing alleged referee bias in Game Three, which they lost by a single point, has drawn widespread criticisms from across Liberia’s sporting community.
One of those condemning the act is D. Webster Cassell, a FIFA Trained Sports Writer and Former Media & Communication Consultant of the Liberia Basketball Association, who described the boycott as a “dangerous precedent that undermines the integrity of Liberian basketball.”
“Refereeing in any sport is never perfect,” Cassell told FrontPage Africa. “Mistakes are part of the game, and professional teams especially one with the pedigree and institutional weight of NPA are expected to rise above such adversity. Unfortunately, the Pythons did the opposite.”
Cassell noted that while both Pythons and LPRC Oilers expressed dissatisfaction with officiating, their responses revealed a stark difference in professionalism.
“After Game Three, the Oilers formally requested a change in officiating. The LBA, acting within its rules, declined. Oilers disagreed, but they showed up. They played. They competed. That is what true sportsmanship looks like,” he emphasized.
The veteran sports analyst added that Pythons’ action was particularly troubling because the team is sponsored by the National Port Authority (NPA) a major public institution responsible for one of the country’s key economic gateways.
“Even if the LBA had refused their request to replace a referee, there were professional and administratively prudent ways to seek redress,” Cassell said. “By choosing protest over professionalism, Pythons undermined the integrity of the competition, disrespected their fans, and set a dangerous precedent for future disputes.”
Cassell further argued that the issue transcends basketball and touches the broader question of discipline, leadership, and accountability in Liberian sports.
“This is not just about basketball; it’s about values,” he explained. “Around the world, elite teams have faced controversial decisions but never walked away. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Italy and Spain were eliminated under disputed calls, yet they stayed and accepted the results. In the NBA, teams criticize officiating all the time, but no one abandons the playoffs. Sport demands resilience, not rebellion.”
Calling Pythons’ action “a failure of leadership and emotional maturity,” Cassell urged the management of the NPA to investigate and take disciplinary action against those who led or supported the decision to boycott.
“The NPA management must take this matter seriously. Whether it was the coaches, players, or officials behind this decision accountability is non-negotiable,” he said. “Public institutions have a duty to set examples. Our young athletes are watching.”
Cassell concluded by warning that such behavior could have lasting damage on the country’s sports culture if left unaddressed.
“Our sports culture is still developing,” he cautioned. “Acts like this can do irreparable harm to the credibility of our leagues and the values we want to instill in the next generation. Petulance is not protest. Walking away is not how champions are made.”
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