By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Director of Competitions at the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Sorie Ibrahim Sesay and Team, on 22nd August 2023 inspected facilities at the Siaka Stevens Stadium to confirm whether it meets FIFA/CAF requirements.
Mr. Sesay Inspected the dressing rooms, pitch, media center, Anti-doping Centre, goal posts, scoreboard, tunnel, gym, the main entrance to the stadium, plastic seats for the stands, etc.
Chinese Construction team Boss, Jessie said “We are trying our best. All facilities mentioned will meet FIFA/CAF requirements. We have eight dressing rooms; four for international competitions and four for local competitions. We also have two stands for disabled fans. The pitch will have a natural grass; four goalposts made of fiber, not iron, a modern electronic scoreboard, etc. Our only problem now is the fixing of plastic seats for the open stands. But we are working around it.”
The newly appointed Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Sports, Hon. Hindolo Gavao appealed to Jessie to go all out to fix the plastic seats, saying rehabilitating the stadium without plastic seats will not meet FIFA/CAF standards.
“This is a 40m dollar project. All facilities that meet FIFA/CAF requirements should be in the stadium. Let it be fixed before the end of this rehabilitation”, the Honorable added.
Other members of the inspection team include Director of Sports, Haroun Korjie, Stadium Manager, Paul Dambulay, and Deputy Manager, Alfred Tucker.
According to the former Minister of Sports Ibrahim Nylenkeh, the Rehabilitation work is expected to climax in May 2024, and the Senior National teams will start to host their matches at home in the World Cup campaign that is going to kick-Off in November 2023.
