Monrovia Liberia – The Liberia Wheelchair Basketball Association is appealing to the government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and well-meaning sports lovers to come to their aid.

The Association comprising of the male and female disable basketball teams said they cannot participate in any match due to the lack of essential playing materials.

The Wheelchair Basketball Association is currently using a facility owned by the Mission of Hope for the Disabled Wheelchair basketball club for their practice sessions.

Speaking to ELBC at the weekend, Ambassador Lionel Johnson, President of the Liberia Wheelchair Basketball Association, said currently the Association has two major international engagements but they are finding it difficult to fund a delegation.

He said the engagements include a tournament that also serves as a qualifier for the upcoming Olympics in Japan.

“We have been recognized by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation in Geneva, Switzerland and as we speak we have been invited to Johannesburg South Africa, to take part in the IWBF-Africa qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics” Johnson added. 

Johnson is however optimistic that the government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports will lend support to his Association.

“Youth and Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson has embraced the whole idea and in fact the Ministry has given us a facility which needs renovation” Mr. Johnson added.

Established in July 2019, the Association currently has six county teams and 13 Wheelchair Basketball clubs in Liberia.