“They were ripping his clothes off they took his phone and everything out of his pockets” Gary Lineker went on to describe how “Harry thought he saw a blade and thought he was going to get knifed.”
The SLFA President immediately ordered an enquiry into the alleged attack which spread rapidly on social media and reached out to Lineker whom Isha Johansen had hosted and invited to her home with his colleague to film the National Team earlier that day (Sunday the 8th) before taking them to the home of the Head of State and the First Lady President Bio for a motivational team talk ahead of the big match.
In her opening remarks to Harry Lineker, Johansen stated “I and the FA are truly sorry to hear about your experience, and as much as we are a nation very passionate about football, random hooliganism especially attacks towards foreigners is not representative of our football fans or who we are as a nation.”
Harry who admitted that it was not his idea for his father’s podcast remarks to be published in any tabloid, told Johansen “I wasn’t injured, was just pushed and kicked a little bit and had my phone stolen.” He went on to add, “no camera equipment was lost or stolen so all is well. Please don’t be sorry these things happen.”
The pre-qualifiers which started in Monrovia on the 4th sept with Liberia defeating Sierra Leone 3-1 and the return leg in Sierra Leone with a 1-0 win to the host nation but seeing Liberia emerge the winners to join the group qualifiers has been marred by controversy with allegations and counter allegations of violence between the fans of the two nations and poor refereeing in Monrovia which Sierra Leoneans claim cost them victory in that crucial match.
The Sierra Leone Football Association President has been quoted this evening as saying she is “happy and relieved after communicating with Harry Linekar that he is fine with no injuries or damages except for the loss of his phone. I can also understand any parent’s anxiety over a child in a foreign land.“
Harry ended his conversation with Isha Johansen by saying, “we got some great footages with the team and it was a pleasure working with them.”
