by FSL News | 31 Oct, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The Director of Competition at the Sierra Leone Football Association, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay has revealed to footballsierraleone.net that the next premier league season will begin in January 2017.
The last edition of the Premier League was suspended through the season in 2014 because of the Ebola epidemic. East End Lions was topping the 2014 campaign prior to its suspension. (Photo: FC Johansen)
His revelation came on the heels of heavy criticism of the FA over what many believed to be a lack of information sharing on the actual commencement of the domestic league.
He said: “I can promise you that our clubs will start the domestic season in January,” and noted that the weather and the end of holiday festivities made it a conducive time to kick-start the league that time.
“It will first appear on our website and fans should be rest assured that the league is starting,” the FA Chief of Competition reassured.
He also stressed: “This time, we will take the league to the communities like the EPL.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Old Edwardians Football Club, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, a few weeks ago has said his side will merge other top flight clubs to boycott any attempt by the football body to revive the domestic league without holding congress first.
“Old Edwardians is with the majority of the football stakeholders who demand transparency and accountability on how football is run in Sierra Leone.”
“Madam Isha Johansen must respect the constitution and call Congress. At Congress, we will then look into how she has expended funds for the past three years and reconcile moving forward. You can’t run a football association for three years without accounting for your stewardship.”
Contact the writer @PScot_writer @football_sierra
by FSL News | 20 Oct, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The National Football team, Leone Stars, has dropped four places again, to become the 97th placed team globally in the latest FIFA rankings released Thursday, October 20.
Leone Stars, who played to a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast in their final 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier in September, are now placed 26th in Africa.
Africa’s top ten teams are reigning African champions, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Egypt, Congo DR, Congo, Mali, and Cameroon.
Algeria, are unchanged – they’re still third in Africa and placed 35 in the world. Cameroon and Zambia are placed 59th and 94th respectively in the world.
The biggest rise in terms of places and points are Montenegro (56th, up 49), following wins over Kazakhstan and Denmark. Argentina, still the best football country in the world and are closely followed by Germany and Brazil in second and third place respectively.
FIFA says the next edition of the World Ranking will be released on 24 November.
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by FSL News | 11 Oct, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
FC Kallon Secretary General Blamoh Robert, has confirmed that top football clubs will boycott any attempt by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) to revive the National Premier League without holding congress first, according to a report.
FC Kallon, owned by Sierra Leone soccer legend, Mohamed Kallon, was one of the eight top-flight clubs that boycotted the just concluded FA Cup won by FC Johansen on Saturday in Makeni, in protest at the way the FA is running the football in recent years.
According to BBC sports, Robert reiterated: “Our positions still remain the same. The SLFA must respect the constitution by taking the membership to congress and address the issues affecting football.”
“We, together with other Premier League clubs, didn’t take part in the FA Cup because the executive committee has refused to convene congress and we have no regret not playing the FA Cup.”
Emphasising their stance, the Chairman of Old Edwardian Football Club, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, maintained that “Old Edwardians is with the majority of the football stakeholders who demand transparency and accountability on how football is run in Sierra Leone.”
Vehemently he added: “Madam Isha Johansen must respect the constitution and call Congress. At Congress, we will then look into how she has expended funds for the past three years and reconcile moving forward. You can’t run a football association for three years without accounting for your stewardship.”
However, the SLFA’s director of competitions, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, has warned that “The executive committee of the SLFA has the power to bring in teams from the first division to fill in a gap to kick-start the league,”
Sesay added, “What we have decided as a football association is to empower the regional football associations to run their various first and second divisions leagues within the next three months.
“We would then call for a national first division play-offs to determine the teams that will be promoted to the Premier League.
“The promoted teams will be on the standby to replace clubs that may want to boycott the league.”
The last edition of the Premier League was suspended through the season in 2014 because of the Ebola epidemic.
East End Lions was topping the 2014 campaign prior to its suspension.
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by FSL News | 9 Oct, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
FC Johansen have been crowned Sierra Leone FA Cup champions 2016 after a 1-0 deserving victory over Republic of Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces FC (RSLAF) on Saturday evening at the Wusum Stadium in Makeni.
Nyakeh O. Alpha accounted for the only goal in the 62nd minutes as they won their first FA Cup trophy since gaining promotion to the Sierra Leone Premier League.
Jubilant FC Johansen supporters are celebrating the club’s first major domestic trophy.
FC Johansen Crowned FA Cup Champions 2016
Runner-Up: Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)
The club owned by the President of Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Isha Johansen have also won the right to participate in next year’s continental top clubs competition.
The Sierra Leone FA Cup Champions will participate in the CAF Champions League while the Military soccer side (RSLAF) will compete in the CAF Confederation next year, football Sierra Leone understands.
James Massaquoi an agog Johansen fan praised the team’s determination and echoed the crowd’s sentiments, grinning: “This is a good start; we’re all so proud of our team and now looking forward to the continental stage next year.”
An eye witness Sallieu, who is also a Johansen fan said: “This is a competition that was boycotted by eight Premier League clubs, although it was a disappointment for some of the big clubs not getting involved, but it was successful considering the massive turnout in Makeni.”
Noah Dumbuya posted on his Facebook page, “Watching FA cup final between RSLAF and FC Johansen in Makeni as part of my birthday celebration.
The Champions received a cash prize of 40 Million Leones while the runner-up bagged home 30 Million Leones.
The competition was sponsored by Sierra Leone’s only cement manufacturing company, Leocem for the second time.
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by FSL News | 24 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Fifa president, Gianni Infantino has consoled the Sierra Leone Football Association and Sierra Leoneans following the sudden death of former Leone Stars international, Alphajor Bah, who passed away on Wednesday.
The Fifa boss Infantino, expressed his dismay and immense sadness on the passing of the former Leone Stars striker.
“I was sad to hear the passing away of the former Sierra Leone striker and legend Mahmadu Alphajor Bah (‘Gazza’) who died in a road accident in Freetown last Wednesday. Please accept my deepest condolences.”
“On behalf of the members of the international football community, I should be grateful if you could also extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.
“We hope that in some way, our words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness.”
Late Mamadu Alphajor Bah
Bah, 39, was laid to rest on Thursday in Freetown in a well-attended civic funeral that attracted people from all walks of like.
The late Alphajor made over 30 appearances for Leone Stars.
In his professional career he played for Halmstads BK in Sweden, KSC Lokeren in Belgium, Chunnam Dragons in South Korea, Xiamen Lanshi and Zhejiang Lücheng in China, Al-Qadisiya in Saudi Arabia, and Perlis FA in Malaysia.
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by FSL News | 22 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Tributes have continued to pour across the world amongst Sierra Leoneans for former Sierra Leone striker and Legend Alphajoh ‘Gazza’ Bah who reportedly died in a gruesome road accident along the Goderich Road in Freetown on Wednesday.
The Sierra Leone football fraternity has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of another Leone Stars hero.
His former teammates, Paul Augustine Kpaka, Mohamed Kallon, and Ibrahim Obreh Kargbo were among those saddened by his passing after it was confirmed last night.
This is so sad another brother is gone.
“Rest in Peace Mamadu Alphajoh Bah aka Gazza,” Paul Kpaka posted on his official facebook page as he pays tribute to his former teammate and eulogised the departed Brother.
“A Fantastic footballer, a great teammate, hard working, brutally honest, and always funny but above all God fearing. Your passion for football was infectious. I genuinely admired your courage to speak the truth even when it meant you made other people very uncomfortable. You were a man of principle. A born fighter as you’ll always say.
“I remember you carrying your pocket size Holy Quran always with you praying diligently before every flight especially when travelling to play away games. You always emphasised life was too short. How prophetic that looks now in your own words?
“You wore your Islamic religion proudly on your chest. And your belief in Allah Almighty kept some of us safe and comforted when in your company. You don’t deserve such an untimely death. And the manner of your loss is deeply depressing.
Allah knows best. Your fear of the Almighty on earth will keep you safe forever and ever.
Take you rest son. Until we meet again. Inshallah!!!
Former Leone Stars skipper and Inter Milan striker Mohamed Kallon who scored the winning goal for Sierra Leone in a 2-1 over Burkina Faso during the 1996 Nations Cup in South Africa also expressed his sadness about the untimely loss.
“OMG, I can’t stop crying. Wow, it’s unbelievable we spoke one hour before the incident. May Allah grant him ALJANAH.
“RIP BRO. ALPHAJOR BAH (GAZZA).”
Another Leone Stars legend Ibrahim Obreh Kargbo, also wrote: “It’s a shock to say that my brother is gone, it is like a dream. You’re gone but you’ll always have a special place in my heart.
“We love you but Allah loves you more. We used to talk every single day and believe in me he will always say “brother I’ll call you back let me go and pray “. He was a good brother and a family man.
“Rest in peace brother until we meet again.”
Soccer pundit and founder of this medium, Alie Ahmed Bittar, also wrote: “I can’t believe it. Gazza is such a nice person, I am in shock, our brother is gone.
“May His Soul Forever Rest In Peace. We Will Miss You, Brother.”
Bah, 39, made 35 appearances for Leone Stars and his previous clubs include Halmstads BK in Sweden, KSC Lokeren in Belgium, Chunnam Dragons in South Korea, Xiamen Lanshi and Zhejiang Lücheng in China, Al-Qadisiya in Saudi Arabia, and Perlis FA in Malaysia.
@football_sierra
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