By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Babadi Kamara, in his personal capacity, has donated a set of modern stadium equipment to East End Lions Football Club in support of the club’s ongoing artificial turf construction project at the Trade Centre field in Freetown.
The donated items include a modern substitute bench for both home and visiting teams. Match commissioner and coordinator seats, 30 bags of crumb rubber, a material used as infill to improve the comfort and durability of artificial turf surfaces.
Presenting the items to the Chairman of the club, President Kamara commended East End Lions for taking the bold initiative and encouraged other football clubs, particularly those in the Premier League, to follow suit. He emphasized that the development and maintenance of proper playing facilities is a key component of the CAF Club Licensing Requirements under infrastructure standards.
Mr. Kamara further explained that his donation was a personal contribution to the development of football infrastructure in Sierra Leone, especially at the community level. He added that the completion of the East End Lions artificial pitch will not only benefit the club but also provide young players from the Dock Yard area and beyond with a safe, modern venue to play and develop their skills.
In his remarks, East End Lions Chairman, Anthony Junior Navo, expressed deep gratitude for the generous support, emphasizing that President Babadi Kamara is the first individual to assist the club’s turf project. He also mentioned that the initiative was inspired by the Southern Arena in Bo, a landmark football facility privately developed by President Kamara to advance the game nationwide.
Both men also appealed to the Government of Sierra Leone and the Chinese Embassy to expedite the renovation of Siaka Stevens Stadium, stressing the importance of completing the facility to enable Sierra Leone to host international football and other major sporting events on home soil.
