December 17, 2021
BY: MOHAMED SAHR
At the Ministry of Information Communication Conference Room, Youyi building.in Freetown, the Sierra Leone Football Association and National Sports Authority have updated the media ahead of the 2022 Africa Cup Of Nations in Cameroon on Thursday 16th December 2021
Chris Kamara, General Secretary of Sierra Leone Football Association said there has been six months preparation made by the SLFA which entailed different friendly matches played by the National Team before the commencement of the Africa Cup Of Nations in Cameroon early next year.
He stated that SLFA has been working very hard in ensuring that the Sierra Leone National Team succeeds. ‘‘We presented an activity plan that comprises what we want to do as a football family and the financial requirement that would permit us to do it. Key amongst these is the preparation of the National Team to represent the country at AFCON,’’ Chris Kamara said.
Chris Kamara averred that the various friendly matches played have brought global presence among countries like Turkey, Morocco, Gambia and South Sudan. ‘’The coach used these friendly matches to give opportunities to new players. The essence of the friendly matches were not just for the scores; it was to see players that the coach has decided on to take to AFCON,’’ he said.
He revealed that CAF has requested Sierra Leone Football Association to present twenty-three (23) players as a competition regulation. Adding that based on COVID 19, each country is permitted to make an addition of five players on the cost for the period of which the team is playing.
Chris Kamara said a total of twenty-eight players are expected to travel to Cameroon and fourteen of them are locally based players and the rest being foreign players from different clubs in Europe.
He said the official date for the submission of final of players is on the 30th December 2021.
Chris Kamara mentioned that there has been an increment of technical staffs to nineteen altogether in ensuring the effectiveness and they share responsibility. ‘’ Leone Star first match of the AFCON is on the 11TH January 2022 and it would be against Algeria,’’ he said.
Steven Keifala, Director of Participation and Sustainability at National Sports Authority said the Ministry of Sports and NSA have been working tirelessly to ensure adequate preparations are done for Leone Star to compete in the Africa Cup Of Nations.
He stated that few month ago a steering committee was formed which constituted the Minster of Sports, representative from the National Sports Authority to look into the proposed plan as to how Sierra Leone would participate in the AFCON 2022.
Steven Keifala said key activities were highlighted from the National Team precision in the competition. ‘‘The Government has provided ten billion Leones to SLFA as a way of enhancing the continuous preparation,’’ he said.
He said the Government of Sierra Leone has on 14th December 2021 launched the sport development fund; which would capture the construction of sporting facilities across the country, supporting of sporting education and establishment of sport academies.
Steven Keifala said the fund would also be used to promote security and transparency to be managed by strategic committees concerned.
He disclosed that support of universities and communities levels through the sport fund program is another priority area earmarked. ‘‘We would make sure we revive and revitalize sporting education,’’ Steven Keifala said.