Sports

By Kemoh Sesay

Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay who is a presidential candidate in the coming executive election of the Sport Writers Association of Sierra Leone has told Politico that if elected he will "unify SWASAL and accelerate its development."

With less than two weeks to the event, he said his other priorities include "building the capacity of our members, decentralising our operations and instilling a culture of transparency and accountability, and gender equity in SWASAL.

By Kemoh Sesay

Frank Magnus Cole who is also vying to become president of SWASAL is adamant that he "will explore new opportunities for the development of local sports. He said SWASAL members, "have been part of all the struggle, intimidation, humiliation, harassment, emotional and physical confrontations and attacks and most of all success stories of sports journalism in Sierra Leone during the past four years."

By Kemoh Sesay

The Ministry of Sports has supported the second dissolution of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Leone Football Association by a group of football administrators and managers known as Stakeholders. Deputy Sport Minister Ishmael Al-Sankoh Conteh told Politico that his ministry has received a copy of the resolution adopted by the Stakeholders and described their action as "legitimate."

Stakeholders of the Sierra Leone Athletics Association have called for the intervention of the Acting Director of Sports Saidu Mansaray and the General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee Joseph Nyande to get their executive to convene the organisation's congress.

By Kemoh Sesay

Construction work at the parade grounds in central Freetown has ground to a halt as major sponsors have still not provided money for the work on the perimeter fence and pavilion to continue.

COFA Secretary General Philip Cline-Cole said work commenced in September 2014 and they were  hoping to finish in good time but the Ebola Virus Disease struck and caused the work to stall.

The Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Tennis Association SLTA has told Politico that they are embarking on developmental projects to improve the facilities of the association. Yayah Koroma said that "we are using this State of Emergency period to put certain things in place before the ban on all sporting activities is lifted."

By Zainab Joaque

The Sierra Leone Football Association has given the clearest indication yet that they are not likely to fully accept the outcome of the meeting of football stakeholders and the Secretary to the President, Emmanuel Osho-Coker. At the meeting on Monday, the SLFA was instructed to reverse its decision to suspend a number of football stakeholders, clubs and the Southern Region Football Association from participating in  the forth-coming congress in the northern headquarter town of Makeni.