The world governing body of football, FIFA, appears to have backed down under pressure from the interim body of the Sierra Leone Football Association, SLFA, by opening direct communication with the body which recently impeached Isha Johansen as president of the SLFA.
FIFA, which is under international corruption probe, recently received a letter from the SLFA interim body chaired by Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, pointing to FIFA's "constant attempt to micro-manage the situation (in the SLFA) by your blatant attempt to interfere into the internal affairs of the association in blatant violation of Article 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statute and your lack of respect for the decision of the membership (pursuant to the provision of article 22 of the SLFA Statute)."
The SLFA interim body referred to a letter they sent to the Secretary General of FIFA in May, in which FIFA was "informed of the resolution of the membership of the SLFA and resolution contained therein of the 18th April, 2015 and the enclosure with prima facie evidence exhibiting clips and pictorial attachment of manipulations and falsification of delegates in the abortive congress of the 18th April which was agreed upon by the membership and Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in his capacity as President of the National Sports Council of Sierra Leone (Act. 64 of 1964), which was endorsed by FIFA."
The letter notes that "unfortunately, you (FIFA Secretary General) failed to inform the executive of this misdemeanour and permitted Madam Isha Johanssen to participate in the last congress perhaps because of her allegiance to the leadership of FIFA and to secure her vote."
Alhaji Alim Sesay's letter threatened the FIFA secretariat saying "without prejudice to any line of action, the membership would wish to adopt to redress their grievance with the appropriate structure within FIFA. Please be informed that this email serves as a notification that this matter will be referred to the Ethics Committee indicting the Secretariat for conspiring to bring this beautiful game into disrepute."
The letter re-stated that "Madam Isha Johanssen and her executive remain dissolved and your continued relations with them will be the subject of an investigation."
In a reply sent from its Member Associations Department, FIFA repeated its position of not "communicating directly with members of a football association", but added that "we inform you that we have been monitoring the situation. As a matter of fact, we are in contact with the Presidential office in order to organize a FIFA/CAF mission soon."
A football stakeholder told Politico that "it was inevitable that FIFA would eventually recognise Alhaji Alim Sesay's interim body because almost all SLFA members are part of the decision to dissolve Isha Johansen's executive." He described the mission promised by FIFA as "the last chance to save Sierra Leone football so the government of Ernest Bai Koroma should be very interested in that mission."
(C) Politico 01/07/15
