by FSL News | 21 Sep, 2018 | African News
By Sahr Morris follow the writer @morrisjr88
Over the latest international ban warning from FIFA, some Sierra Leoneans have joyfully welcomed the said threat on various social media platforms.
Some are of the opinion that only a ban would help to end the long-lasting impasse in the country’s most followed sport.
Following ACC’s ultimatum that embattled SLFA boss, Isha Johansen and Sec-Gen Christopher Kamara to step aside pending an investigation into abuse of office, public and donor funds charges.
FIFA has requested the SLFA to provide a detailed report on the current situation by no later than Monday 24 September.
“Recent developments, if confirmed, would most likely constitute an undue interference in the affairs of the SLFA and would, therefore, have to be brought to the attention of the Bureau of the FIFA Council for consideration of sanctions, including the immediate suspension of the SLFA.”
However, after news of the international ban and immediate suspension broke in Sierra Leone, some Sierra Leoneans took to social media to welcome the news.
Popular editor, Thomas Dixon reacted: “If it’s for me, let FIFA ban us”
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Dixon’s comment was supported by Bockarie Sama Banya, a Sierra Leonean international businessman based in Germany.
Banya said: “Exactly if they call for the arrest and subsequent removal of Spanish FA president, yet they have the guts to dictate to us.”
“Why they never dictate to the FBI?” he asked.
President of Sierra Leone Reporters Union, Amadu Lamaran Bah reckoned: “A Fifa ban will be the best thing to ever happened to Sierra Leone Football, their funds is the main reason why Isha still want to hold on to power and continue to be around to cut off the source of the confusion and let solve our problem in the next two years.”
“The good thing is Sierra Leoneans have agreed for FIFA ban. Besides Cricket and Volleyball will represent us internationally until we fix football problems.”
Bah’s comments were also supported by former Sierra Leone national team striker, Paul Kpaka.
Kpaka vehemently stated, “Best case scenario a FIFA ban can’t be worse than what we have now. Playing in international competitions which have been nothing but abysmal for our nationals.
“Let the ban be imposed, we will go back to the drawing board, restructuring of football administration, concentrate on our local league and rebuild for the future.”
Former SLFA Media and communication man, John Konteh noted: “FIFA directives are not Sacrosanct as long as you are able to provide enough justification to tell them what they asked.
Read More…
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by FSL News | 20 Sep, 2018 | African News
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Former Sierra Leone internationals and Ex-players donate $500 to the national U17 team that was purportedly stranded in Senegal. (Photo credit SLE HOC in Dakar Henry Nyandemoh.)
It now appears that the team may not have stranded after all but it was a breakdown in communication within the team and information that reached the news media.
The $500 donation came from notable Sierra Leone Ex Footballers Union, (SLEFU) members’ press release signed by legend and former Inter striker Mohamed Kallon (President).
The team is presently staying at the Yoff Hotel Dakar pending their return to Freetown on Friday.
The unfortunate news that the national youth U-17 team stranded in Dakar, Senegal has raised a serious discrepancy between the Ministry and the Sierra Leone Football Association.
However, according to Sierra Leone Head of Chancery at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Dakar, Henry Nyandemoh, the U17 team will depart the Senegalese capital on Friday on board Air Mauritania to Freetown.
“The players and coaching staff were unable to connect with their return flight to Freetown after Sierra Leone was knocked out of the competition by Senegal,” the Head of Chancery posted on his Facebook account.
“All efforts made to reschedule the flight before the expected date of departure proved impossible and the team had to spend a few more days in Dakar,” added Henry Nyandemoh.
See attached SLEFU Press Release
The $500 donation came from notable Sierra Leone Ex Footballers Union, (SLEFU) members’ press release signed by legend and former Inter striker Mohamed Kallon (President).
by FSL News | 17 Sep, 2018 | African News
The Referees’ Association of Ghana (RAG) has handed lifetime bans to six more referees in the wake of an investigation into bribery, BBC Sport reports.
It also banned 47 match officials for 10 years each, while another 14 were exonerated.
RAG also confirmed the sanctions handed down by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) last month – two for life and six others for 10 years.
It brings the total with life bans to eight and those with 10-year bans to 53.
Those on the list released by RAG have until 1 October to appeal against the rulings.
The investigation was launched after the officials were secretly filmed accepting money by investigative journalist Anas Armeyaw Anas.
In a statement RAG said those facing lifetime bans “were found culpable for seriously breaching various portions of Disciplinary Code, Code of the Ethics and Regulations of the football controlling bodies by their actions and inactions.”
David Laryea and Reginald Lathbridge had already been banned for life by Caf, they have been joined by Safo Adade, Samuel Sukah, Dally Gagba, Furella Barnie, Charles Duwona and Umar Teni.
This is the latest fallout from Anas’ film that has seen the Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi resign from his post, as well as from positions he held with Caf and Fifa.
He has also been suspended for 135 days by football’s world governing body, Fifa, as it investigates corruption allegations, Nyantakyi has denied any wrongdoing.
On Thursday Fifa and Caf announced a 4 member normalisation committee to take charge of the football affairs in Ghana for the next six months.
Former football association board member Dr Kofi Amoah will head up the committee, he was in charge of the organising committee when Ghana hosted the 2008 Nations Cup.
The other members are Lucy Quist, a former chief executive of a telecoms company, Dua Adonten, a former Asante Kotoko board member and director general of Ghana Post as well as lawyer Naa Odofoley Nortey.
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by FSL News | 14 Sep, 2018 | African News
The writer Alie Bittar @bittar32 – Contact bi****@*********************ne.net
The world football governing body Fifa has exclusively told Football Sierra Leone (FSL) that they are monitoring the situation in the country after the state’s anti-corruption agency issued a seven-day ultimate to the president Isha Johansen and secretary-general Chris Kamara of the FA to step down.
“FIFA is closely monitoring developments in relation to the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) and plans to provide the FIFA Member Associations Committee with an update on the situation at its upcoming meeting on 26 September 2018,” A FIFA spokesperson confirmed to FSL.
“FIFA continues to expect that the agreed roadmap is strictly adhered to by all parties,” the spokesperson continued.
“In this context, the Inquiry Group Sierra Leone will be visiting the country soon to conduct its investigations.”
It could be recalled that in November 2017 Fifa overturned a decision by executive members of the SLFA to set aside Johansen from office. Read More…Despite saga, FIFA still supports Johansen
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says their latest decision is in line with its legal functions which state that public officials indicted with corruption charges must be suspended until acquitted or the proceedings against them discontinued.
The head of the ACC has however stated that if Johansen and Kamara refuse to step down further actions could be taken against them and that includes arrest.
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by FSL News | 13 Sep, 2018 | African News
Liberia president George Weah played in an international friendly for his country on Tuesday – at the age of 51.
The former African footballer and Fifa World Player of the Year award, featured for 79 minutes of a 2-1 home defeat by Nigeria in Monrovia.
Liberia arranged the friendly to retire their number 14 shirt, worn by Weah at his playing peak.
The former AC Milan striker, sworn in as president in January, received a standing ovation as he was substituted.
Nigeria fielded a reasonably strong team, including Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi and fellow midfielder Peter Etebo, of Stoke City. Ndidi’s club-mate Kelechi Iheanacho featured as a second-half substitute.
Etebo took the corner from which Simeon Nwankwo headed Nigeria into a 2-0 lead after Henry Onyekuru – on loan at Galatasaray from Everton – had scored the opener. The home side pulled one back with a late Kpah Sherman penalty.
At the age of 51, Liberia’s George Weah returned to international action in a friendly against Nigeria.
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by FSL News | 13 Sep, 2018 | African News
FREETOWN: By Sarh Morris jr – follow the writer @morrisjr88
Sierra Leone national U-17 side, Sierra Stars will engage host Senegal in a must-win match today at the ongoing West Africa Football Union (WAFU) U-17 qualifiers tournament.
The team does not only need a victory but a wider goal merging if they are to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.
Unlike Sierra Leone Senegal only needed a draw to walk their way to the semi-finals after a 1-0 victory against Guinea Bissau while Sierra Leone suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Bissau boys.
Sierra Leone had to wait until the 39th minutes to get an opener. Abubakarr Kanneh sent a long ball from the near side to find Mahamadu Lamin who shot with his right-footed shot went inside the post and at the back of the net.
The second half started with Sierra Leone playing with ten men after defender Ajay Moses suffered a cut on his head before the half-time and couldn’t continue the game. A change was only affected during the 54th minutes.
However, Guinea Bissau equalizer and winning goal came through Cristiano, who got the first with a shot from the six-yard that hit the inner of the woodwork and find the net before Claudio scored from a long-range effort inside the 18-yard box, to end the hopes of Sierra Leone in the match.
Meanwhile, the winner of the tournament will book the sole ticket to play in the 2019 Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Tanzania.
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