Weah criticised for honouring Wenger

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP):

Liberian President and former football star George Weah is being criticised for his plan to award former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger the West African country's highest honour.

Weah, who was elected president of his country last year, plans to honour Wenger and another French football coach, Claude Le Roy, at a ceremony tomorrow.

They both played crucial roles in Weah's career.

Le Roy discovered Weah playing for a club in Cameroon in the late 1980s and recommended him to Wenger, then the coach of Monaco in France. Wenger took the advice, signed the Liberian and Weah went on to play for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, and became the first and still only African to win the FIFA world player of the year award in 1995.

Liberian sports minister D. Zeogar Wilson said Wenger is to be given the Humane Order of African Redemption with the rank of Knight Grand Commander. Wenger is expected to attend tomorrow's ceremony.

But Darius Dillon, an opposition politician, criticised Weah on Wednesday for using the nation's highest honour and the office of the president to recognise people who only played a role in his "personal life."