FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura is to visit Sierra Leone to address the on-going dispute between the country’s football association (SLFA) and local authorities.
Football’s world governing body has requested a meeting with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma and other leading officials.
“We are confident that Sierra Leone’s President and government officials will understand and honour our request for an official visit on 16 November,” Samoura wrote in a letter to the SLFA.
“We are convinced a positive solution can be found with the necessary commitment from all parties.”
Samoura also hopes to discuss a match-fixing inquiry relating to a Sierra Leone international in 2008.
In 2014, 15 national team players and officials were suspended indefinitely over allegations of match-fixing relating to the goalless World Cup qualifying draw against South Africa.
The SLFA launched a match-fixing inquiry earlier in 2016 but it is still in the hands of the government and has yet to formally proceed.
“We would like to pay a courtesy visit to the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, as well as the Minister of Sports, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the three-person committee currently conducting the SLFA match-fixing enquiry,” Samoura wrote.
“We kindly ask the SLFA to contact the above mentioned authorities to arrange such a visit on behalf of FIFA.”
By bernard Turay
Friday November 11, 2016