By Mohamed Macarthy
Ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) tournament in Cameroon in 2022, members of Bo Rangers Fan Club on the 23rd December 2021 presented a cheque for One Hundred Million Leones (Le, 100,000,000) to the national football team Leone Stars as support.
The presentation took place at the Siaka Stevens Stadium’s practicing field in Freetown shortly after the national side’s training session.
Chairman for the fan club, Tejan Koroma said they’ve been very much impressed with the level of commitment demonstrated by the players that ensured the country’s qualification for AfCON.
He said the money was personal contributions by the fan base that comprises people from all backgrounds including commercial bike riders, business people, government workers and other folks.
Koroma added that Bo Rangers is poised to give its fullest supports in whatever circumstances in ensuring that Leone Stars emerge winners at the end of AFCON, especially twenty five years after the country last qualified for the tourney.
The Vice President of Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Badara Tarawallie while receiving the cheque on behalf of the President and the entire executive of SLFA, commended the management, staff and fans of the Bo Rangers for their unprecedented gestures to Leone Stars Tarawallie said that he was delighted at the timely presentation.
He encouraged other clubs to emulate what the fan club members did in boosting and building up the morale and confidence of their players for them to be victorious.
In his reaction, the Leone Stars Team Manager who also doubles as Manager of Rangers , Badadie Kamara said the presentation came as surprise to him and only knew about it when it was at an advanced stage.
He stated that sometimes people erroneously think he is behind ventures the club undertakes. He said the club is an autonomous body which does major activities without his intervention. He told the players that the money is an addendum to what President Bio promised to give each player as monthly stipend till the end of AFCON.
On his part, the Captain of Leone Stars Umaru Bangura registered gratitude to the fan club and wished the management, staff, fans and players of Rangers the very best as league leaders in the ongoing Sierra Leone Premier League.
The Executive Director National Sports Authority, Kenneth Brima said the fan club has sent a very clear and strong message to other fan clubs across the country. He urged the players to perform exceptionally well in next year’s tournament.
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