By Ledgerhood Rennie BBC Sport, Monrovia

George Weah's bid to become president of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) has encountered a setback.

Under the association's statutes, for any candidate to be eligible for the body's presidency they must first have served as a local club president.

Last week, first division outfit Bassa Defenders chose Weah as their president after the incumbent Jeremy Russell resigned.

But the LFA has now rejected that appointment.

"The LFA cannot endorse such an appointment in the absence of an election and the association should have officially been invited to participate and witness the election," a letter from the LFA secretary general Yanqueh Borsay said.

"Until the conditions set forth by the LFA are met, the club's letter informing the association about Weah's appointment cannot be sanctioned by the LFA."

However there are no provisions within LFA statutes that insist upon elections being held for a club president.

Precedence is in Weah's favour as most of the clubs' leaders are either appointed by a board of directors or by the founder.

Weah himself has yet to publicly react to the LFA announcement but the club and other football officials have expressed surprise at the decision.

"We have a right to decide who handles our affairs as a club," said Jeremy Russell, a vice-president of Bassa Defenders.

Liberia's greatest footballer has the backing of an official of Invincible Eleven, another clubside, in his bid to become Bassa Defenders' new leader.

"We will have no alternative but to canvass for a vote of no confidence in the FA leadership if it continues to stop Weah participating in football here," said Bangalu Cole.