December 11, 2015 By Sahr Morris Jr.
The impasse in Sierra Leone football continues to deepen following a decision by the country’s National Sports Council (NSC) to dissolve the Football Association’s executive committee.
The resolution to dissolve the Isha Johansen led executive was made public in a press release issued on Wednesday (9 December) evening hours after aggrieved football stakeholders forced the lockdown of the SLFA secretariat.
As the body charged with the authority to regulate, monitor and control all sporting associations in the country, the NSC also reinstated the seven-man committee that was recently banned by the Isha Johansen led executive.
According to the NSC press statement which was signed by Director of Sports Ibrahim Bangura, part of their motives to dissolve the SLFA executive committee was to prevent individuals or organisation to hold the country football’s to ransom.
“Now that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ban has been lifted and Sierra Leone will once again host international football matches, the National Sports Council believes that no individual or organization should hold football to ransom,” the release reads.
“Therefore, the Sports Council has reinstated the seven-man committee who have the responsibility to run the affairs of football in the country and regularize the delegates list for a subsequent congress. Furthermore, the Administration headed by Madam Isha Johansen is hereby dissolved with immediate effect,” the release adds.
With fear that Sierra Leone might be banned by the world football governing body FIFA, which forbids government interference in football, SLFA Vice President I, Brima Mazola Kamara, has told BBC Sport that NSC’s decision is “baseless” and that they (SLFA executive) remains the legitimate football authority in the country.
The former Sierra Leone international said: “We don’t recognise the NSC’s decision.”