The Confederation for African Football (CAF) has expressed concern over Sierra Leone Football governance and administration and has given seven days ultimatum to the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) to provide answers with relevant accompanying documents.
In a letter written to the Association, Veron Mosengo-Omba, Secretary General of CAF said: “CAF is in receipt of documents from multiple sources highlighting certain governance and administration issues in Sierra Leonean football on the issue of aiding and/or abetting the manipulation of football matches;
- Aiding and/or abetting the manipulation of football matches
- Failing to conclusively investigate and address allegations of the manipulation of football matches a case in point being the 2022 SLFA National Division 1 play-off matches between:
- a) Gulf FC and Koquoima Lebanon, which ended 91-1; and b) Lumbenbu United and Kahunla Rangers FC, which ended 0-95
- Failing to establish a Referees Committee
- Failing to ensure proper, transparent and professional refereeing of matches leading to teams such as Freetonians SLIFA FC suspending its participation from the Sierra Leone Premier League 2022/2023 on grounds of poor officiating as evidenced in its press release dated 23 January 2023 (attached)
. Failing to ensure safety and security during league matches and/or take action against the perpetrators of violence, a case in point being:
- a) The purported stabbing of a fan during a 2021-2022 SLFA League match between Port Authority FA and FC Johansen.
- b) The purported assault of a female referee in November 2022 by Mohammed Kallon the head coach of FC Kallon this led to the Sierra Leone National Football Referees Organisation issuing the attached press release dated 20th January 2023 putting on hold the officiating of all matches involving FC Kallon, and its subsequent boycott of the match between Freetown City FC and FC Kallon that was scheduled to be played on 20th January 2023.
- The purported assault of the head Coach of FC Johansen Mr. Abubakarr Bah by Diamond Stars FC on 29 January 2023.
- Sexual harassment of certain national team female players by officials
One of CAFs key objectives as enshrined in Article 2 paragraph 1 (f) of the CAF Statutes is: “To prevent practices or procedures which may jeopardize the integrity of the players, the game, or its competitions or give rise to any form of abuse of the game of football.”
To this end, CAF has and continues to work with all Member Associations to promote and protect this objective.
In addition, pursuant to Article 7 paragraph 1 (a) of the CAF Statutes, all Member Associations have an obligation to respect, and ensure thot their own members respect, at all times unreservedly the principles of ethics and fair play enacted by CAF and FIFA, the principles of integrity and sportsmanship as well as the Statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of CAF and FiFA.
