Africa-Press – Liberia. CAS ruled that the LFA’s decision was “procedurally flawed and inconsistent with principles of fair hearing,” effectively nullifying the relegation.
Swiss Court Orders Club’s Reinstatement in First Division, Cites “Procedural Failures” by LFA
In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves through Liberia’s football community, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has overturned the Liberia Football Association’s (LFA) decision to relegate Jubilee Football Club, ordering the team’s immediate reinstatement in the First Division for the upcoming season.
The ruling, delivered on October 31, 2025, by Sole Arbitrator Hervé Le Lay of Paris, France, found that the LFA violated due process by failing to properly hear Jubilee FC’s appeal before confirming its relegation.
“We were never afraid of the truth. All we wanted was a fair hearing. The CAS saw what happened and corrected it,” said Joseph Howe, President of Jubilee FC.
A Long Road to Justice
The legal dispute began in April 2025 after the LFA’s Club Licensing Committee ruled that Jubilee FC had failed to meet club licensing standards — a decision the team immediately contested.
The ruling means Jubilee FC will return to the First Division pending further administrative actions by the LFA.
However, when the LFA’s Appeal Board upheld the committee’s decision without conducting a formal hearing, Jubilee escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, filing an appeal under reference CAS 2025/A/11482.
After reviewing the case, CAS ruled that the LFA’s decision was “procedurally flawed and inconsistent with principles of fair hearing,” effectively nullifying the relegation.
The ruling means Jubilee FC will return to the First Division pending further administrative actions by the LFA.
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