The acting president of the Liberia handball federation is calling on the government of Liberia through the ministry of Youth and sports to fully support the federation.
According to Aratus Larkpor, officials of the federation are finding it difficult to maintain and support the federation in the country. He expressed that officials of the federation have received an invitation to represent the Country in the neighboring Ivory Coast this year.
He used the occasion to inform the public that a total number of 28 players are expected to represent Liberia in the handball competition in July of this year. He stressed that both the Junior and senior handball teams are expected to participate in the tournament; the selection of players and the preparation of passports for both technical staff and players will begin early next month June.
Speaking to reports231, on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at his team practice pitch in Monrovia, Larkpor disclosed that his Leadership is striving to maintain and improve the game of handball in the country.
Larkpor who is also the manager of “Sinkor Oilers handball club” lamented that his first priority is to decentralize the sport in the fifteen counties of the Republic of Liberia before the end of 2026; he narrated that the game is currently been played in five of the fifteen counties to include; Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Bomi, and Grand Cape Mount counties.
The sport which was introduced in Liberia in 2005 is not popular due to budgetary constraints something that is affecting every federation in the country he noted. He maintained that the lack of support is causing major setbacks in the sports sector.
The federation president at the same time has embarked on a campaign to reintroduce the game in the various High schools across the country. He lamented that they have targeted 24, high schools in Montserrado County, and these school Administrators have already received Communications from officials of the Liberia handball federation (LHF) regarding the high schools’ handball league which is due to officially kick off next Academic school year.
He said despite the financial issues, Ebola and Coronavirus were factors that greatly affected the game of handball in the country. The handball president at the same time cautioned officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to treat every sporting federation in the country the same in terms of financial support.
Reported by: Joseph N. Kerkula
Contact: +231777376826
