Abdul Karim Sesay has got the backing of the international body IAAF
January 19, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has officially confirmed that Abdul Karim Sesay is the re-elected president of the Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA).
In an exclusive interview with Concord Sports, the IAAF communication department’s deputy director, Chris Turner, said they are satisfied with the conduct of the election and accepted the results.
Turner said: “The IAAF was informed on 17 December 2015 that the SLAA finally held their elective congress on 15 December 2015. Mr. Abdul Karim Sesay was re-elected President. They have yet to appoint a General Secretary. The IAAF is satisfied with the conduct of the election and recognises the results.”
However, the IAAF’s decision to endorse Sesay’s re-election has angered stakeholders who dubbed themselves as ‘the legitimate stakeholders of SLAA’, and according to their chairman, Michael Felix-Rowe, they will file a petition letter to the international federation questioning the said election.
“We are going to challenge the legality of the so-called election that never was. The congress was obstructed following chaos at the Presidential Lounge, so there was no other election conducted,” said Felix-Rowe.
It could be recalled that the December 17 congress ended in chaos after the country’s Sports Minister, Paul Kamara, stormed the congress and insisted that Defence Minister (Rtd.) Major Alfred Palo Conteh was not qualified to contest while still serving as government official.
The minister’s pronouncement prompted supporters of the disqualified candidate and those opposed to him to go on the rampage.
Meanwhile, it was understood that the election did take place at an unknown location in the capital, Freetown.