The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided today to suspend the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) with immediate effect due to government interference.
In September, the country’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) forced president Isha Johansen and secretary-general Chris Kamara to step down from their offices as both are under investigation on counts of 'abuse of office and misuse of public funds.'
However, Fifa statutes do not allow interference from any outside body and, as such, are threatening with to ban the country from international football.
The suspension will be lifted once the SLFA and its recognised leadership (led by SLFA President, Ms Isha Johansen, and SLFA General Secretary, Mr Christopher Kamara) have confirmed to FIFA that the SLFA administration, premises, accounts and communication channels are under their control once again.
Following its suspension, the SLFA has lost all its membership rights as defined in art. 13 of the FIFA Statutes. The SLFA’s national and affiliated club teams are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted.
This also means that neither the SLFA nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA or CAF. Moreover, and in accordance with art. 16 par. 3 of the FIFA Statutes, other member associations may not entertain sporting contact with the SLFA during its suspension.
The first encounter between the two side was scheduled to come off at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Thursday, October 11, with the return clash coming on four days time in Freetown.