Season preview, & Foreign players transfers before the start of the championship.. December 16, 2001

The 41st. Lebanese Football championship starts tomorrow on Sunday December 16, 2001 under the administration of the new LFA committee.

This championship includes 14 teams on exceptional basis: Ahley Saida, Al-Ahed, Al-Ansar, Bourj, Homenmen, Homentmen, Ikhaa Ahley Aley, Nejmeh, Racing, Safa, Sagesse, Salam Zgharta, Shabab Sahel, & Tadamoun Sour.

The Last season ended unusually with a crisis that has negatively affected the Lebanese Football due to the infamous match-fixing conspiracy during the last stage of the championship, and the decisions of the former LFA committee to cancel some of the results, suspend Tadamoun Sour championship title, banning many players & clubs officials, and later the minister of Sports & youth Dr. Siboh Hovnanian to suspend the LFA committee, and finally the intervention of The FIFA who supervised a new election that led to a large success for the Opposition list.

 The results of the friendly matches held during the pre-season were not enough to make a judgment on the identity of the teams competing on the title. However, it is expected that Nejmeh & Tadamoun Sour will be the major contenders on the championship title especially with the signs of fierce competition that appeared both teams during the Final match of Viceroy Cup 2001 with Nejmeh winning on shootouts [9-7].

All the Teams prepared to the extent of their capacities for the start of the championship that was delayed from Late November. Concerning Foreign players, the 14 clubs have signed 42 players from 15 countries as follows:

Nejmeh: Errol McFarlane (Trinidad & Tobacco), Sunday Oko (Nigeria), Alein Nicolas (Cameroon).

Sagesse: Tomi Jiacomali, Ricardo Jiacomali, & Ricardo Rambo (Brazil).

Ikhaa Ahley Aley: André Dos Santos Silva (Brazil), Roger Titti (Cameroon), Artash Adamian (Armenia).

Racing: Ahmad Jradi (Egypt), Mohammad Mansari (Sierra Leon), Friday Okiki (Nigeria).

Bourj: Wilson Tshinido, & Darlington Tshikozi (Nigeria), Kaban Folo Desire (Ivory Coast).

Al-Ansar: David Nakid, & Peter Prospar (Trinidad & Tobacco), Kenneth Ikoobado (Nigeria).

Homenmen: Kagig Simonian, & Hamlet Mokhtarian (Armenia), Hassan Ibrahim (Syria).

Homentmen: Peter Pazitch, & Vladimir Pavishvitch (Yugoslavia), Tomas Biorg (Sweden).

Salam Zgharta: Gioa, & Moussa Abou Baker (Nigeria), Simbakor Sissy (Senegal).

Tadamoun Sour: Haidar Najem (Iraq), Kamokai Kalone (Sierra Leon), Kinidi Boboi (Nigeria).

Safa: Hisham Shleikh (Morocco), Gerard, & Marios Betek (Cameroon).

Shabab Sahel: Othman Saleh (Nigeria), Mahmoud Majeed, & Adnan Mohammad (Iraq).

Al-Ahed: Didier Tambourah (Mali), Samo Owjo, & David Anini (Nigeria).

Ahley Saida: Issam Hamad (Iraq), Torai Toronko (Sierra Leon), Madeo Konati (Senegal).