By Andrew Warshaw
July 12 – The crisis enveloping Sierra Leone football has taken a further twist with the country’s sports minister facing accusations of deliberately misleading the public in an attempt to oust the country’s female FA president Isha Johansen.
Earlier this week the annual congress of Sierra Leone’s FA, scheduled for Friday to pave the way for elections, was suspended by FIFA who cited unresolved issues relating to the dispute between the current SLFA executive and Johansen’s opponents.
After four years in charge, Johansen’s term of office expires on August 3 (she is expected to announce in the next few days whether or not she is standing for re-election) and FIFA insisted the Congress had to be delayed until integrity checks were carried out.
FIFA said a Memorandum of Understanding signed by secretary general Fatma Samoura, Sierra Leone’s minister of sport Ahmed Khanou (pictured) and Johansen late last year “had not been adhered to and as a result the same problems appear to remain unresolved”.
That was immediately rejected by Khanou who said he was “shocked, devastated and disappointed” at FIFA’s move yet there are indications that Khanou himself agreed to integrity checks being imposed on SLFA officials as part of a road map for the future.
Insideworldfootball has seen a copy of the MoU, signed by Khanou, which states that “integrity checks for potential SLFA delegates” should be carried out. Those close to the process claim this proves Khanou is abusing his position and guilty of double standards amid fears that the country’s notorious gambling and match-fixing syndicates will ultimately take over football in the country.
Johansen’s tenure may have split opinion throughout Sierra Leone but the battle for control is clearly getting both personal and ugly, with Khanou’s deputy reportedly describing her as an “enemy of this country”, highly inflammatory language which will surely be noted by FIFA.
Nevertheless, Johansen’s opponents are stepping up their call for change, asking fans to dress in black during Saturday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Senegal as a mark of protest against the ‘death’ of football in the country.
“The general membership of SLFA expresses dismay at the manner in which the current leadership of the SLFA continues to deprive young Sierra Leoneans of showcasing their talents to realize their dreams in football,” a statement said.
“We are also particularly concerned over events that have in no small measure contributed to stalling football activities across the country as well as bringing the game into disrepute for the past three years.”
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