Lithuania coach quits to launch political career

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

VILNIUS (AFP) — Lithuania coach Algimantas Liubinskas has quit his job to concentrate on campaigning for a seat in parliament, the Baltic state's football federation announced on Monday.

In a statement on its website, the Lithuanian federation said Liubinskas had officially handed in his resignation, ending weeks of speculation about his future after pressure from the country's footballing body.

Liubinskas, 56, said he regretted having been forced to choose between his sporting career and political future.

"I will try to continue to work for the development of football, and for sport as a whole" from the benches of parliament if elected in the October 12 parliamentary polls, he told fans' website futbolas.lt.

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