Sports Ministry Suspends Sierra Leone FA

The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has been suspended by the country’s ministry of Sports.

Dr. Dennis Bright, minister of sport, suspended the country’s football association with immediate effect on Monday.

The ministry is believed to be unhappy with the state of affairs in the country’s football and appointed an 11-man interim committee to replace the Sierra Leone FA board.

SLFA, which is led by Nahim Khadi, has come under fire recently for the deteriorating state of the country’s football, especially after performing poorly in the 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier.

"The minister has ordered the suspension of the SLFA because of its apparent inability to conduct the affairs of football," a statement from the ministry was quoted as saying on BBC Sport.

"This is in accordance to the statutes and regulations governing football in Sierra Leone."

The interim committee set up by the sports ministry is expected to organize an extra-ordinary congress within 90 days in a move to turn the fortunes of the country’s football around.

However, the move by the sports ministry could be considered as a violation of Fifa regulations which forbids political interference in the affairs of football associations.

Khadi was quoted on BBC Sport as saying: "I don't think the minister has the power to remove me from my post.

"I was elected by the stakeholders so if anybody has the right to take me to task it should be the stakeholders and not the ministry.

"I am going to contact Fifa and they will take the decision on this issue."

The ministry is also believed to be unhappy about being in the dark on some of the activities going on in the SLFA like the appointment of England-based coach Leroy Rosenior as coach of the national team in May, as well as a recent friendly match against English club Leyton Orient two months ago.

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