Despite saga, FIFA still supports Johansen

by FSL News | 9 Nov, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

Fifa has overturned a decision by Sierra Leone’s Football Association (SLFA) to set aside Isha Johansen from her role as president, ruling it ‘invalid’, BBC Sport reports.

Last month, the SLFA Executive Committee ruled that both Johansen (Pictured with Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura) and her general secretary, Chris Kamara, should be removed during a trial brought by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

“We deem that the dismissals are invalid and the SLFA President and General Secretary remain in their function,” stated Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

The ACC may take issue with the decision since its rules state that public officials indicted on corruption charges must be suspended until their case reaches a conclusion.

Johansen and Kamara made their first appearance in a Freetown High Court on 30 October, when both denied any wrongdoing.

The ACC charges relate to alleged misappropriation of donor and public funds, conspiracy to commit corruption offences and abuse of office.

Johansen claims the charges are politically motivated as she pursues a match-fixing inquiry since taken over by Fifa, involving Sierra Leone’s national team.

Football’s world governing body says that the pair’s dismissals were not, among other measures, carried out as required by SLFA statutes.

“We would like to call on all involved parties to, henceforward, collectively focus on the full implementation of the solutions as proposed by the Fifa Task Force in its report signed on 29 September.” Fifa letter to SLFA.

“It appears that the alleged dismissal of both persons has not been carried out in accordance with the applicable provisions of the SLFA statutes in our possession,” read the Fifa letter, dated 7 November.

“In particular, the agenda of the meeting as per its minutes does not contain specific items related to the dismissal of the SLFA Pres and General Secretary, which would be necessary for the executive committee to deliberate on the issue.”

The letter was sent to both Kamara, who in his role as General Secretary informed Fifa of the decision to dismiss him, and to the Confederation of African Football.

“We would like to call on all involved parties to, henceforward, collectively focus on the full implementation of the solutions as proposed by the Fifa Task Force in its report signed on 29 September,” added Senegal’s Samoura.

That month, the Task Force visited Sierra Leone in an attempt to resolve Sierra Leonean football’s impasse and met with the government, the SLFA and aggrieved stakeholders.

Sierra Leone football has been dogged by internal wrangles on issues ranging from integrity checks on current and potential SLFA executive members delayed FA elections and the investigation of match-fixing allegations.

In 2014, eleven officials and four players were suspended more than three years ago by the SLFA for alleged match-fixing allegations, all of whom have denied any wrongdoing.

The case was turned over to Fifa during the Task Force’s visit.

The football fraternity in Sierra Leone hopes a solution can be found to bring peace to the SLFA, arrange elections and instigate local premier league’s return after a three-year absence.

On Wednesday, the ACC case was adjourned for a week after a bereavement suffered by Kamara as his wife lost a baby girl in childbirth on Tuesday.

The case against Johansen and Kamara will now break before resuming on 15 November.

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Johansen, Kamara get $130,000 bail after non-guilty plea

by FSL News | 30 Oct, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

Isha Johansen, a CAF Executive Committee member and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Secretary General Chris Kamara were both released on same bail condition amounting to some US$130,000 after they pleaded not guilty to corruption-related charges in a Freetown high court on Monday.

The SLFA boss who also doubles as the World football governing body, FIFA sub-committee member and her Secretary General were both set aside from their respective positions at the SLFA following the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) indictment.

Presiding judge, Justice Reginald Fynn adjourned the case until Wednesday 1st November 2017. The duo was also asked to surrender their passports to the court.

Johansen and Kamara were originally indicted on six-count charges but the ACC commissioner Ade Macauley, the leading prosecutor in court, has increased the charges.

The FC Johansen owner was handed seven counts of abuse of office and three joint counts with Kamara, who received only one separate count charge.

The charges related to alleged misappropriation of donor and public funds, conspiracy to commit corruption offence and abuse of office.

Johansen pleaded not guilty to each of the counts read in the well-attended court.

All Johansen’s individual charges relate to SLFA funds she allegedly used on several occasions to pay for travel expenses for her personal assistant Mohamed Ola Marah, who is not an employee of the football body.

Two of the three joint charges relate to alleged misappropriation of $50,000 given to the SLFA by the Confederation of African Football to cover costs relating to MRI tests for 30 players in the country’s Under-17 team.

In September 2016, Johansen was arrested for questioning under Operation Thunderbolt” which aims to “rout and bring to justice” people alleged to have been involved in corrupt acts and have been under the watch of the anti-graft agency.

Johansen’s first four-year term expired on Thursday, August 3, 2017.

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Sierra Leone tumble in Fifa rankings

by FSL News | 16 Oct, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone are now ranked 99th in the world, the Sierra Leone national team dropped two places from its previous 97th position in September.

Last month, the Sierra Leone home-based side were eliminated from this year’s WAFU Cup of Nations following a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria’s home-based Eagles at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium in Ghana.

The local Stars, who were also eliminated from the CHAN preliminary qualifiers in Dakar against Senegal 4-2 on aggregate in July now 23rd in Africa.

Meanwhile, North African nation Tunisia for the first time have moved top of Fifa’s African rankings in 15 years.

The last time the Carthage of Tunisia were top on the continent was back in January 2002.

Managed by Nabil Maaloul, Tunisia – who need just a point at home to Libya next month to qualify for the World Cup – replace Egypt at the top of the African standings.

Earlier this month, Egypt reached the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

Meanwhile, fellow African sides Eritrea and Somalia share the lowest spot in the rankings – 206th – with four other nations.

As reflected in this October global rankings, Germany number one, Brazil second and Portugal are in third position, Argentina in fourth and Belgium fifth.

Poland in sixth and France in seventh, Spain eighth, Chile ninth and Peru complete the roster of the top ten teams in the world.

Africa’s top ten on October’s Fifa rankings – global ranking in brackets:

Tunisia (28) Egypt (30) Senegal (32) DR Congo (35) Nigeria (41) Cameroon (42) Morocco (48) Ghana (52)
Burkina Faso (55) Ivory Coast (61)

Sierra Leone (99) – 23 in Africa.

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Fifa ends Sierra Leone visit with new peace plan

by FSL News | 30 Sep, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

Fifa Task-force with members of the Sierra Leone Football Association

Football’s world governing body Fifa has redesigned the roadmap to heal the bitter and protracted rift in the game in Sierra Leone after a two-day visit.

The national premiership league has not been played in the country for three years under the executive of Africa’s only woman FA head Isha Johansen. Her leadership was disputed by rival members and a power struggle ensued since 2014.

The power struggle over the running of football in Sierra Leone worsened after the FA’s Congress in Makeni was postponed unexpectedly in 2015.

After nearly a year of the new Fifa’s intervention, a mediation team from the world body has made several recommendations to help resolve the ongoing impasse after concluding its findings on Friday.

In a communique issued by the task force, which comprised of the Minister of Sports Ahmed Khanou, the Chairman Taskforce Musa Bility, SLFA’s representative Drucil Taylor and Fifa Director of member Associations Veron Mosengo-Omba, the following points were agreed upon:

1. The SLFA should adopt the FIFA code of ethics, with FIFA supporting this process.
2. The members of the judicial bodies elected on the 23rd March 2017 should undergo integrity checks conducted by FIFA as defined by FIFA Ethics Committee.
3. An extraordinary congress to be held with two items to be discussed on the agenda (A) to adopt the new SLFA Code of Ethics (Based on FIFA code of Ethics), (B) to revise the SLFA statutes and include integrity checks requirements for potential candidates.
4. • Following the Extraordinary Congress, the SLFA shall organise Ordinary Congress in order to select their Electoral Board in preparation for the SLFA elections and to present any relevant statutory reports.
5. • The Match-Fixing Commission should hand over to FIFA all files and evidence linked to match-fixing in Sierra Leone football. Fifa will then decide how to proceed.
6. • The government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Sports undertakes to enforce its ban on betting on local football matches and to support any sanctions that may be taken by FIFA and SLFA against those who are found guilty of match-fixing.
7. • The government through the Minister of sports will ensure the smooth and uninterrupted operations of the SLFA.

The Task-force also after further deliberation with concern stakeholders in Sierra Leone Football, recommends that the FIFA member Association Committee should, establish without delay the timeframe for the following activities.

• A review of the SLFA statutes and the implementation of the Code of Ethics.
  • The date by which the SLFA Extraordinary Congress should be held.
  • The date of the new SLFA Ordinary Congress and the date of the Elective Congress.

1. Instruct the FIFA General Secretariat to be at the disposal of the FIFA’s Task Force so that the proposed solutions (such as the revision of the SLFA statutes and the integrity checks) can be implemented.
2. Mandate the FIFA Member Association Division and the competent FIFA departments to propose immediately how the SLFA’s match-fixing inquiry can be completed.
3. instruct the FIFA general Secretary to accompany and support the Sierra Leone Football Association and Sierra Leone towards the achievement of all the above-mentioned proposals.

As Fifa has earlier indicated, Johansen, who is due in court 30 October to face corruption charges is expected to remain in office until the election of a new president.

However, her status to run as the incumbent is now questionable after the recent charges by the country’s anti-corruption bureau, who also called for her and the FA’s secretary-general to step down immediately.

She is a member of the Caf executive committee and holds positions in other committees of the African body and Fifa.

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Anti-Corruption orders SLFA’s Johansen to step aside

by FSL News | 27 Sep, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Football Association president, Isha Johansen, and her secretary-general Chris Kamara have both been ordered by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to step aside following their charges of abuse of office and public funds.

The ACC announced on the 21 September that Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara will be appearing in court on the 30 October on six counts Charges.

Ministry of Sports and National Sports Council (NSC), under orders from the ACC, in a meeting on Tuesday that was attended by the SLFA’s vice president, Brima Mazola Kamara and Western Area Chairman Foday Turay at the Ministry Conference room in Freetown, has advised the SLFA asking them to replace Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara.

According to a letter dated 25th September 2017, signed by ACC boss Ady Macauley, seen by Football Sierra Leone, following the ACC’s announcement, both now stand indicted before the High Court of Sierra Leone, they must step aside until acquitted or the proceedings against them discontinued.

The Anti-Corruption Act, No 12 of 2008 makes comprehensive provision for the process that must be adopted once a public figure has been indicted or charge.

According to the Anti-Corruption statutes, any public officer charged with a corruption offence must be suspended from the date of the charge until he is either acquitted or the proceedings against him are discontinued.

Johansen’s first four-year term expired on Thursday, August 3, 2017.

The scuffle is ongoing and it is uncertain what the next FIFA roadmap will be, but a FIFA/Caf task force is expected in Freetown on Wednesday headed by Liberian FA President Musa Bility.

In July, Fifa suspended the scheduled SLFA annual congress that should have to pave the way for elections, FIFA cited unresolved issues relating to the dispute between the current SLFA executive and Johansen’s opponents.

Meanwhile, the SLFA banned 19 officials from football activities for life has been officially communicated to the World football body by the Secretary-General Chris Kamara.

Kamara’s correspondent was sent to Fifa’s Veron Mosengo-Omba Director, Member Association.

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