by FSL News | 24 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
In the latest Fifa ranking for November, which was announced on Thursday, Sierra Leone ranked as the 96th best team in the World from 97th in October.
Since they were eliminated in Bouake from the 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier in September, the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have not played any competitive matches.
Leone Stars, who played to a 1-1 draw against the reigning African champions two months ago, are now the 24th best team in Africa.
On the Continent, Senegal took over as Africa’s best team, while Cote d’Ivoire moved from number one to joint second position with Tunisia on the continent.
Argentina remains top in the world and Brazil moved to second, with reigning world champions, Germany dropping one spot to third.
Copa America champions Chile, and Belgium makes up the top five.
Colombia, France, Euro 2016 champions Portugal, Uruguay and Spain make up the top ten spots.
Top Ten in the world: Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Chile, Belgium, Colombia, France, Portugal, Uruguay, Spain.
Top Ten in Africa: Senegal, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Congo DR, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 23 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Football administrators, players, journalists as well as enthusiasts in his native country Sierra Leone have been paying tribute to deceased legendary football administrator Alhaji Unisa ‘Awoko’ Alim Sesay.
The former East End Lions legend died in Freetown on Tuesday after battling illness, and once again death has struck a brutal blow against the country’s football fraternity.
The Veteran football administrator Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay was the Chairman Steering Committee Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) before his death.
Atto Mensah, Ghanaian-born Sierra Leonean, who made his international debut in Leone Stars 2-0 victory over Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Freetown during 1988 Nations Cup qualifiers, said the news of the great Alhaji Sesay’s demise comes as a huge shock to many Sierra Leoneans and says the country’s social media platforms has been flooding with tributes for the man he describes as a ‘great administrator with a great personality’.
Presenter and Commentator Abu Bakarr Kanu said, ‘It’s a huge shock for us in football. Alhaji will never be forgotten as he is part of the country’s soccer history.’
Deputy Minister of Sports, Al-Sankoh told footballsierraleone.net, ‘I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family members and friends of the Late Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, the memories of the late icon will never die, a very friendly character, a true patriot and an iconic sports administrator.’
Al-Sankoh also describes the late Awoko as a dedicated and passionate community activist.
Renowned journalist, Sierra Leone’s Press attaché in Brussels, Chernor Ojuko Sesay posted on his official facebook page: “Awoko holds the enviable record as the longest serving football Secretary-General in the history of Sierra Leone.”
Ojuku reiterated that Awoko served East End Lions one of the two biggest and most successful football clubs dedicatedly for 21 years before resigning and later founded the Anti-Drugs Football Club.
Ojuku maintained that for over 30 years, Awoko has been a key figure in the election of every Sierra Leone Football Association President, ranging from Benji Davies, Alhaji Saramadi Kabba, Justice Tolla-Thompson, Nahim Khadi and Isha Johansen.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 21 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
World Football governing body (FIFA) Secretary General Fatma Samoura has said the federation will support Sierra Leone if they bid for the right to host the 2018 Under-17 Women’s World Cup. (WOMEN’S GAME…SLFA boss Isha Johansen & FIFA Scribe Fatma Samoura)
Samoura made this statement during her recent visit to Sierra Leone where she requested a meeting with the country’s President Ernest Bai Koroma, sports ministry officials and executive committee members of the Sierra Leone Football Association.
In her meeting with members of the press to climax her two-day visit in Freetown, Madam Samoura said: “I bring good news about the possibility for Sierra Leone to host the next FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.”
“I have promised President Koroma that FIFA will support Sierra Leone if they bid. We’ll make sure that they have all the tools and mechanism and the means you need to get that competition being hosted by the country.”
Madam Samoura said it an opportunity for Sierra Leone to host such tournament which will be the first African nation to do so since its inception in 2008 when New Zealand hosted it.
Trinidad and Tobago, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Jordan have all hosted the 16 team’s biennial international women’s youth football championship and the FIFA Secretary further revealed that she has got the assurance from the country’s sports minister to supports the idea of having the tournament in the West Africa nation.
“I’m sure we’ll be linking up with the SLFA President Isha Johansen to make it a reality and when I come to Sierra Leone next time I hope it is to declare to the rest of the world that Sierra Leone has been successful in bidding to host the 2018 U-17 Women’s World Cup,” she said.
Sierra Leone has never hosted any senior or junior major international football tournament under the umbrella of FIFA and possibility in winning such bid would be a big boost for the country.
Follow the writer @morrisjr88 – Sahr Morris Jr.
by FSL News | 21 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sport News
The Secretary-General of the World football governing body (FIFA) Fatma Samoura has urged the Government of Sierra Leone through the Sports Ministry to resolve the long and unhealthy dispute in the country’s football.
In her two days visit which was aimed at restoring peace within the Sierra Leone football family and to ensure that there is no political interference in the day-to-day running of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), the FIFA scribe called on the country’s sports minister to show leadership and resolve the turmoil through dialogue.
She said: “I am calling on the minister to show his leadership to bring the football family in a round table for peace and sanity to prevail in Sierra Leone football and not for anyone personal gain or ego.
“We should allow our youth to play our beautiful game, the game we all love in an adequate environment. I want football to the consulate the peace and political stability in the country and I will be happy after my departure that all parties will put aside everything and focus on promoting the game.”
The former senior United Nations (UN) official who was also Country Director for World Food Programme (WFP) Djibouti and Cameroon said only dialogue can resolve the existing football problems.
The Minister of Sports Ahmed Khanou assured the FIFA scribe that the Government remains committed towards the development of football in the country and pledged to work towards bringing lasting peace in the country’s football impasse.
He said: “The government and the Sports ministry will continue to play its leadership role and will not interfere in the affairs of running the game. My ministry will ensure we put an end to these problems within the football family.”
Sierra Leone football has endured and still faced with the long stalemate since August 3, 2013, when Isha Johansen was elected the country’s first female president in a controversial election that saw two of her main contender; Rodney Michael and former Inter Milan striker Mohamed Kallon were both disqualified 48-hrs before the elective congress on the pretext of violating FIFA statutes.
Several attempts have been made by both internal and external bodies including the country’s President, His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma to resolve the dispute but to no avail.
Follow the writer @morrisjr88 – Sahr Morris Jr.
by FSL News | 16 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Former East End Lions and Al Ismaili defender Abubakarr Tostao Kamara is a candidate for the Sierra Leone senior national coaching job.
According to the latest information surfacing from the Sierra Leone Football Association Headquarters, the former Leone Stars International has been tipped as the favourite to replaced Ghanaian coach Sellas Tetteh.
The FA’s Director of competition, Ibrahim Sorie, have confirmed that the FA has parted company with the Ghanaian coach and that Tostao, who was part of the Sierra Leone 1994 and 1996 African Nations Cup side in believed to be under consideration.
“We want to get things now in order and get ready for the next qualifiers,” Ibrahim Sorie told footballsierraleone.net correspondent in Freetown.
Tetteh’s contract runs out after Sierra Leone failed to reach the 2017 Nations Cup to be hosted in Gabon.
His initial loan deal expired last October after Leone Stars were eliminated in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by Chad.
The 59-year-old, who was the architect when Ghana won the 2009 Under-20 World Cup declined to comment when contacted by this medium. He was appointed as caretaker coach for Sierra Leone in August 2015. Sierra Leone has only managed to participate twice in the continental big stage in 1994 and 1996.
Swede coach Roger Palmgren was not yet 30 when he coached Sierra Leone at the 1996 African Nations Cup finals in South Africa and declared an interest in the job again when it became available in 2002.
In Tunisia, 1994 French coach Raymond Zarpanelian was in charge of the Sierra Leone team.
Contact the writer @PScot_writer @football_sierra
by FSL News | 8 Nov, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The Secretary-General of the world football governing body, FIFA, Fatma Samoura, (Pictured with SLFA boss Johansen) will arrive in Sierra Leone to meet with SLFA officials on 15 November, before her proposed meeting with President Koroma.
Samoura’s visit may play some part in resolving the on-going ACC investigations against the country’s football association (SLFA), the wrangling with rival members and the 2014 match-fixing allegations.
This was first communicated to the Sierra Leone Football Association in an official letter dated September 16, 2016. In the same letter, Fifa backed Isha Johansen over the use of funds.
It would be recalled that SLFA president Isha Johansen was detained and questioned for alleged mismanagement of funds received by the SLFA since February, by Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Few days after she was released without charge, the world football body, Fifa has said in a letter to the SLFA that there has been no ‘misuse of the funds’ it has given to the Isha Johansen’s administration.
A FIFA statement said: “Fifa has no reason to suspect there has been misuse of funds that Fifa has provided to the SLFA.”
“FIFA urges the relevant Sierra Leone authorities – in particular the Ministry of Sports and the Anti-Corruption Commission – to allow the SLFA to conduct its affairs and activities without unnecessary obstruction as no FIFA regulations have been contravened with regards to the FIFA funding.”
However, since Johansen was elected president of the SLFA unopposed on 3 August 2013, there has been on-going unrest in the running of football in the country.
On several occasions, the world body has disapproved of Johansen’s rival members and governmental interference in the running of football in Sierra Leone.
Most recently top football stakeholders are calling for Congress they said they will boycott any attempt by the football body to revive the domestic league without holding congress first.
Fifa in a recent letter sent to the FA stated: “Fifa would like to demonstrate to the government of Sierra Leone that it is fully committed to supporting the development plans and programmes for football in Sierra Leone that have been presented by SLFA President Johansen,”
“We would like to pay a courtesy visit to the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, as well as the Minister of Sports, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the three-person committee currently conducting the SLFA match-fixing enquiry,” Samoura wrote.
“We kindly ask the SLFA to contact the above-mentioned authorities to arrange such a visit on behalf of Fifa.”
There is an on-going match-fixing investigation of 15 national team players and officials. The 15 are alleged to have been involved in fixing the outcome of a Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa in 2008 which ended in a goalless draw.
In 2014, the Sports Ministry and SLFA in a joint statement have said the two institutions received “credible and tangible information” on the alleged involvement of the group in match-fixing.
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Sierra Leone | Highlights -