IAAF reaffirms Karim’s executive recognition
January 16, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr
World Athletics Federations, IAAF has refuted talks of re-conducting elections for the Sierra Leone Athletic Association (SLAA) and further reaffirmed their certification of the Abdul Karim Sesay led administration.
It was earlier rumoured that the IAAF would send a team of officials in Freetown to conduct a fresh elections but such rumour has been rebutted by the world governing body, adding that there was no such plans.
In an exclusive interview with Concord Sports, the IAAF Governance, Member & International Relations department said: “There is no plan for the IAAF to travel to Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the IAAF is not involved in the internal affairs of a Member Federation nor does it conduct elections of Member Federations.”
Also, the International athletics body stated that they were informed by the outgoing board of the SLAA that they had conducted their elective General Assembly on 15 December, 2015 and that the President, Abdul Karim Sesay, was re-elected.
“We were informed by the outgoing board of the SLAA that they had conducted their elective General Assembly on 15 December, 2015 and that the President, Abdul Karim Sesay, had been re-elected. The IAAF considers all Member Federations to be autonomous and according to their constitution, they should convene & conduct their General Assemblies (Ordinary or Elective),” the IAAF Governance, Member & International Relations said.
The latest correspondence from the IAAF is seen as another message to the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Council (NSC), who, after the October 11, 2016 elective congress recognised the Martin Bangura led administration as the SLAA executive.
Such development has left the country with two SLAA bodies; the Martin Bangura executive recognised by the Sports Ministry and the NSC and the Karim Sesay administration accepted by the IAAF.
Meanwhile, the ongoing turmoil has left the Sierra Leonean athletes in limbo to compete in an international tournament sanctioned by the IAAF but the world governing body has allayed the fears of athletes.
“Sierra Leonean athletes will be allowed to compete if they meet the qualification standards and they are entered by the Federation currently recognised by the IAAF,” they stated.