Liberia Football Association (LFA) President Mustapha Raji says referees are one of the key pillars of football development.

Raji believes the game will not development if emphasis isn’t placed on referees like other sectors.

He was speaking at the presentation of equipment to the Liberia Football Referees Association (LIFRA) at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on 6 May.

“When I campaigned in 2018 and met with your leadership, I promised to help lift the image of referees. What you are getting today as match indemnity is way higher than when we took over.

“We want to do more and we will do more for the 2023/2024 season. We know it is not enough if we were to measure your passion and dedication to what you are receiving and what others get.

“You are the most-criticized group in our football community. You are vilified when you make errors but we don’t praise you when you officiate a very good game.

“I have come today to say thank you for all you do for football. Don’t give up. We may not like one another. We may criticize one another and say all the negative things but at the end of the day it is football all of us want to develop,” said Raji.

Receiving the equipment for onward submission to referee manager Stanley Konah, Judge Joseph Kollie praised the Raji-led leadership for its contribution to the development of referees.

“I have been in refereeing since 1984. This is the first leadership that has done more for referees. When I was an active referees, I never brought my woman to see me play because I didn’t want spectators to abuse me or my parents.

“That’s exactly what some of you go through daily. I want to thank you for your courage and perseverance. The uniforms and other materials you are going to receive aren’t for bluffing. It is for you to wear during games and you should perform,” said Kollie, who is a coopted Executive Committee member and chairman of the referee committee.

The equipment, including boots, uniforms, flags and whistles, were

purchased by the LFA from the FIFA Forward 2.0 and will be distributed to all referees in Liberia.

Vice Presidents Sekou Konneh and Jodie Reid-Seton and executive committee members Murvee Gray and Tickly D. Monkonley, Jr., LIFRA President Lamin Kamara and members of the referee committee graced the occasion.