By Alpha Abu
Some football stakeholders affected by decisions from the Ethics Board of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) have expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which they have been treated. Influential football administrator and philanthropist Rodney Michael is among a number of other notable figures to have been subjected to fines and ejection from contesting for various executive positions in the country’s football running body, ahead of the elective congress, which has also been put on hold.
The Ethics Board had in a report dated 25 March 2021 listed the names of various stakeholders and outlined its position on their legibility status in vying for the presidency of SLFA, the vice presidency and Ex-officio representation. They were the subject of probity checks Few got the association’s seal of approval but others were out rightly barred from contesting, with the pre-condition of paying fines and or relinquishing litigations they had filed against the FA.
Michael who had long declared his desire to contest for the presidency had earlier been disqualified and in the board report in question,was fined 3 million Leones and ordered to “discontinue participation in the subsisting action against the SLFA in which he is one of the plaintiffs”.
Michael said to Politico: “I received the message with utter disappointment and disagreement with the hope that they would submit their official decision with justification within the two-week deadline they gave to have that done”. The two weeks window given by the FA ended on Wednesday 7 April 2021. He said the lack of communication from the ethics board makes it “very concerning”, especially that appeal processes are time bound. Michael said it doesn’t make sense for a decision to be taken by a board which contravenes itself by saying it has not yet concluded its report.
Another aggrieved presidential hopeful Sadick Nyarko who the board says is eligible but has to pay 3 million Leones fine and discontinue his litigation against the board, claimed he has also been waiting for the final report. Asked if he would rescind his decision of litigation which is a condition set by the board, Nyarko dismissed the notion, saying how could he, when he still waiting for a closure he is so desperate for.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (09/04/21)
