By Mohamed Juma Jalloh
When the SLPP government acceded to power on 4th April 2018, the beautiful game of football was virtually dead. A perennial battle instigated by football stakeholders-cum-politicians had blighted the progress of the game at the domestic level. The wretched state of affairs led to the cessation of all national football leagues. The wrangling in the football family took a different dimension during the last elective Congress on 3rd August, 2013.This was a momentous period in Sierra Leone football. History was made when Sierra Leoneans witnessed the meteoric rise of the only female owner of a Premier football club F.C Johansen, in a sport that is overwhelmingly administered by men. Madam Isha Johansen was endorsed as the President of Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) by football mavericks, notably, the erstwhile Minister of Sports, Paul Mohamed Kamara, and the late former Chairman of Football Stakeholders, Unisa Alim Sesay, who was popularly known as “Awoko”.
Madam Isha Johasen’s path to clinch the SLFA presidency was made smooth after the disqualification of two key challengers, the national football hero, Mohamed Kallon, and Rodney Michael, whose elder brother is the General Manager of the football betting company Mercury International. The outcome of the congress was validated by the Confederation of African football (CAF) and the world’s football governing body, the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), automatically recognizing Isha Johansen as President and Christopher Kamara as General Secretary of SLFA.
Initially, there was seeming cooperation amongst the major football stakeholders including the Ministry of Sports, SLFA and a conglomerate of football clubs of all divisions otherwise known as football stakeholders. The good working relationship was however short-lived. Later on, hell was let loose. Madam Isha was coerced to relinquish her position following allegations of misappropriation of funds meant for the development of football at local level. The aftermath of the decision by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) saw the imposition of a ban on Sierra Leone from all FIFA organised football activities. Being an independent association that does not coerce its members to join its Federation, FIFA has a Zero Tolerance policy to political interference. Without acrimony, member associations are duty-bound to abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the world’s football governing body. It is expected that issues bordering on embezzlement must be addressed through internal mechanisms provided for in local and international football statutes.
Upon assuming the mantle of governance, the SLPP government was desperately anxious to provide a thaw in relationship between the belligerent football factions. A diplomatic move was initiated that took the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh and Madam Isha Johansen to the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland to chart a way out of the quagmire. The FIFA President, Giani Infantino emphasised the need for the expedition of the trial in court in order for the nation to be restored back into the football fold. Consequently, SLFA President Madam Isha Johansen and General Secretary Christopher Kamara were acquitted and discharged for all the misappropriation charges that were brought against them.
Before the football ban was lifted by FIFA, the government had funded a domestic league that attracted mammoth crowds to the Siaka Stevens Stadium at Brookfields in Freetown as well as other football turfs nationwide. Football fans nationwide showered praises on government for resuscitating the Sierra Leone Premier League after it had been in a state of deep sleep for four consecutive seasons due to the football wrangling amongst stakeholders. In a thirteen-team provisional competition, the oldest football club in the Premier League East End Lions emerged victorious by the skin of their teeth with 42 points and FC Kallon was runners-up with 41 points.
An appendage to the maiden tournament had begun in earnest under the Bio administration with Bo Rangers at the pinnacle of the Premier League table having played 13 matches and secured 23 points. The defending champions East End Lions were trailing in 5th position before the COVIC-19 pandemic struck, putting the game to a shuddering halt.
Apart from the salaries of football players and the management staffs including coaches, the resumption of the Sierra Leone Premier League stimulated a lot of economic activities nationwide. Players were playing in substandard amateur leagues risking physical injuries, but the recommencement of the league placed many players and football officials on the payroll. Coaches, technical staffs, game officials, team doctors and ball boys are guaranteed of fixed allowances. The period between the end of the first rounds of the 2019/2020 season and the commencement of the second rounds witnessed a frenzy transfer market atmosphere. Some players with outstanding qualities had suitors on the transfer market, a move that is similar to what transpires in the top five European leagues.
Economic activities were blossoming, attracting sellers of consumer goods and assorted drinks during match days. But with the advent of COVID-19, the livelihoods generated from those activities during match days are no longer forthcoming. Clubs with poor structures and weak financial muscles are struggling to provide allowances for their players because there are no gate takings to plough back into running the affairs of the football clubs. Clubs such as the current leaders Bo Rangers, the defending champions East End Lions, Diamond Stars and FC Kallon are financially strong to weather the economic storm during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the head coach of Bo Rangers, John Dominic Kommeh, the monthly dues of players are running uninterrupted “Because Bo Rangers have structures, well-wishers and addicted financial contributors, the club are providing bonuses for players with the fringe player taking home over a million Leones,” Coach Dominic Kommeh revealed. The head coach emphasised the need for players to be motivated in order for them to not only stay healthy and physically fit, but also to improve their performance to the best of their ability.
Coach Dominic Kommeh’s anticipation is informed on the need for better preparation whenever the league resumes, so that his players would be in a better physical and mental condition to compete against other big clubs. In Botswana, the government provides palliative financial packages of US$300 to players in the two top tier of the country’s league. In Sierra Leone, it is with great anticipation that players were expecting a similar gesture from the Ministry of Sports and/or SLFA. Although it has not been confirmed by the Secretariat, SLFA was expected to receive financial aid from CAF as a fast-track support to all 54 member associations in Africa. The funds are a part of CAF’s annual grants to its member associations that would be used to support the management of football at domestic level, especially when the associations have been hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of US$10.8million is set aside for the 54 member Associations on the continent as part of a relief plan to mitigate the financial burden on the African football community.
“Due to the fast spread of COVID-19, African Associations have suspended all domestic competitions which have brought about huge financial burden on their shoulders. CAF has thus decided to wave the eligibility requirement to access the annual grants, so that all Associations can benefit during this difficult period,” CAF President Ahmed Ahmed said.
The one-million-dollar question on the lips of many Sierra Leoneans remains unanswered: How some of these trickling resources from CAF and FIFA would be utilized on the beneficiaries such as players, coaches and match officials in order to mitigate the COVID-19 effects remain to be seen.