June 8, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr
Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), has on Wednesday, June 7, announced that it has signed a 3- year deal with Singapore based sports kit manufacturers, MAFRO Sports to provide kits for the country’s national football teams.
The 3 years deal is worth an annual amount of US$ 82,000 and both parties have agreed on a profit sharing basis of the national team’s jersey nationwide, plus international activities to be agreed on.
Both MAFRO Sports and SLFA confirmed the deal in a press statement released on Wednesday, just three days before Sierra Leone senior national team, Leone Stars 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Freetown.
The statement from MAFRO Sports reads: “MAFRO Sports (MS) is proud to confirm our sponsorship status as official kit sponsors of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA). We would like to thank the president of SLFA Madam Isha Johansen and the board for their leadership and trust in our vision and desire to be part of Sierra Leone’s growth and development in the football industry.”
Managing Director of MAFRO Sports, Mahmoud Gomda said: “As a company, we realize the importance of sportsmen and women using good quality sports products. We were inspired to set up our company so as to work with the finest professionals in the sports business and working with the SLFA is a fulfillment of some of our goals.”
According to the SLFA, this the most lucrative sponsorship kit deal the FA has been able to secure and the SLFA boss, Madam Johansen said: “I want every Sierra Leonean to own and be a stakeholder in their national teams.This deal will create marketing opportunities and empowerment both local and international.”
The new deal came just two months after the SLFA refuted media reports that they were set to re-announce a new kit supply deal with Denmark-based sportswear company Hummel. In 2011, the Executive Committee of SLFA cancelled Hummel contract between them and Mediate/Hummel sponsorship but the then Youth, Employment and Sports Ministry, Paul Kamara, went on to use the Danish brand in Leone Stars in the last match against Niger on March 27th in Niamey, which angered the SLFA executive committee.
MAFRO Sports are also the company sponsoring Zambian, Zimbabwe,Kenyan, Masters Football UK and many others.