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Claim: A Facebook user says Liberian President Joseph Boakai promised to give each Lonestar player $5,000 if they beat Djibouti in the 2025 African Cup of Nations’ (AFCON) qualifiers.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA’s checks have revealed that Liberian President Boakai did not make the alleged promise. The Media Officer for the Liberia Football Association, Anthony Koko, described the allegation as “false.”
Full Text
A Facebook user claimed that Liberian President Joseph Boakai promised to give each Lonestar player $5,000 if they secure a victory against Djibouti in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
“President Joseph Boakai reportedly promised to give each Lonestar player USD 5k each if they win against Djibouti,” the social media user wrote.
Data available on the social media platform showed that the post has received 214 likes, 42 comments and 12 shares.
DUBAWA decided to fact-check the post as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in Liberia.
Verification
The Media Officer for the Liberia Football Association, Anthony Koko, described the claim as “false.”
“I was in the meeting with the President and the players prior to the game. I didn’t hear such a promise from the President,” Mr Koko told DUBAWA when he was contacted.
Also, a press release issued by the executive government after the meeting did not mention the amount allegedly promised to the Lonestar players by the President.
“Reaffirming his Government’s full support to the Team, the President expressed his concern for the welfare of the players, who he noted put their lives on the line for the country. He reassured Liberian athletes that his Government would pay special attention to the promotion of sports by finding resources and opportunities for the players to prepare for a better future after their football career,” the statement on the government’s official website read in part.
A Google keyword search by DUBAWA showed that none of the reputable media organisations published the story about the alleged bonus promised to the Lonestar players.
DUBAWA later contacted the Facebook user about the source of the purported promise, but as of April 15, 2024, he has not responded to the message.
Conclusion
Therefore, it is not true that the Liberian President, Joseph Boakai, promised each Lonestar player $5,000 to beat Djibouti in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Prime FM 105.5 Liberia, to facilitate the spirit of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy.
