By Mohamed Foday Conteh & Alpha Abu
The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has cleared popular football stakeholder and SLFA presidential hopeful, Rodney Michael of all hurdles, and could be eligible to contest in the Elective Congress scheduled for Saturday 5 June 2021 in Makeni city.
The decision which came barely 48 hours before the Congress has erased all uncertainties and anxiety by his supporters as to whether Michael who had filed his candidacy after being granted an earlier provisional order by the court absolving him of any wrongdoing, would finally go to Makeni without any hesitation. The trepidation felt within his camp was borne on the fact that the temporary window of relief granted by the Court could be shut even after the election, if more evidence would have emerged to warrant such a decision.
In spite of this latest welcoming news for Michael, he was somehow coy when asked by Politico if he would now be actually contesting with bubbling confidence. He said it was not just about contesting an election but one has to be sure about the voting delegates. “I have to consider a lot of factors,” he said. He confirmed his campaign has already started but will have to assess his chances before Saturday. “I will consider the number of delegates I have before now,” he continued.
Michael was suspended by SLFA from running for the office in all football-related activities by the President for the SLFA on grounds that he was involved in sports betting, an allegation that he had vehemently denied.
“I have always insisted that I never violated any FIFA or SLFA Code of Conduct” he said and cited the press release made by CAS as proof of his vindication.
This comes few days after Isha Johansen, President of SLFA stepped down from her role. Some members of the public and football, stakeholders hold the belief that Michael is a key front-runner in the race for the Presidency and that the sports betting fiasco was only concocted to smear his image.
CAS in the latest ruling also ordered that a compensation of $32,000 be paid to Michael to offset two-thirds of his legal expenses.
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