By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Sierra Leone Premier League has been cancelled after teams agreed that it will not be feasible to continue the remainder of the league. The decision was reached by the Premier League Board and representatives from all the 14 clubs on Wednesday.
Premier League teams also agreed that league leaders, Bo Rangers, Kamboi Eagles and East End Lions engage among themselves and decide on which two of them should occupy the two available spots to represent the country in CAF Champions League and the Confederations Cup.
PLB Chairman, Alieu Vandi Koroma, told the media after the meeting that teams agreed to cancel the league because it was not feasible for them to continue under the current circumstances.
Koroma said they listed six teams; Bo Rangers, Kamboi Eagles, Diamond Stars, FC Kallon, East End Tigers and East End Lions as possible candidates to represent the country on the continent. These teams were selected based on the permutations that if they play their remaining games they could finish in the top two.
Tigers dropped out because of financial challenges; Diamond Stars representatives also backed out saying they can’t afford the cost of taking part in the competition. FC Kallon, who also had a strong chance, said they would not put themselves forward to represent the country because the time for preparation is short.
The first half of the league was almost wrapped up with some teams playing all thirteen games before the league was halted.
Koroma said three of these teams have now been shortlisted to engage and decided on who takes the two continental spots to represent the country.
“We listed six teams that had the chance of representing the country and also the financial capability and the necessary infrastructure in place to do so. So from these six teams some declined because they don’t have the finances to travel, so we ended up shortlisting three teams for the two available spots. They will now decide among themselves and get to us by Monday,” he said.
“If they can’t agree then we will take a decision after that,” Koroma added.
Representatives from all three teams told Politico that they will make their claim to represent the country during the negotiations.
Secretary General of Bo Rangers, Abdul Njai, told Politico that the negotiation is just a way for them to accommodate other opinions. But as league leaders, he noted, they should represent the country.
“This is our time to represent the country, we have never done so. We have the players; we have the infrastructure and resources. More of the negotiation is really between Kamboi Eagles and Lions because we are already top of the league,” Njai said.
Rangers are top with 23 points, having played all their 13 games in the first leg just before the abrupt break.
Abdul Karim Kabba, Executive Secretary of East End Lions, told the media: “We will consult and see what happens. We have a history of representing this country and we know we have the resources to do so.”
Lions are 5th on the table with 20 points, having played 10 games before the break.
Brima Mazola Kamara, Chairman of Kamboi Eagles, believes his team should even be the league leaders considering they already have a pending point from the Lions game that is yet to be reflected.
The game he was referencing is still incomplete because of fan trouble. A disciplinary committee had ruled that the remaining 12 minutes of the game be completed. Eagles are still leading 1-0. They are currently 2nd with 21 points, having played 12 games. Technically they have played all 13 games, had it not been for the remaining 12 outstanding minutes that they should still play out with East End Lions.
Whatever the outcome, the timeline for preparation will be tight and the cost will be high for any team. Countries are expected to send in names of representatives to CAF by the 31st of August this year.
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