cocorioko.net/?p=50759 Rodney Michael, Mohamed Kallon Et All Saga Comes To An End As FIFA Delegation Informs President Koroma That They Support Decision Of Normalization Committee The chaos that almost engulfed Sierra Leone soccer has ended. A delegation from the Federation of International Football Association ( FIFA ) today met with President Ernest Koroma to convey to him FIFA’s agreement with the decision taken by the Normalization Committee of the Sierra Leone Football Association ( SLFA ) to ban some Sierra Leoneans from contesting the elections for the SLFA Presidency. ISHAJOHANSEN ISHA JOHANSEN We trace the genesis of the problem from snippets of reports sent to the social media by Chernor Ojuku Sesay ; Ladies and gentlemen, please read the full report of the Normalization Committee on the disqualification of certain candidates from the SLFA contest. SIERRA LEONE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION NORMALIZATION COMMITTEE 31 Battery Street, Kingtom, Freetown PRESS RELEASE ON THE SCREENING OF NOMINEES FOR VARIOUS SLFA EXECUTIVE POSITIONS Authority I am instructed by the Chairman of the FIFA appointed Sierra Leone Football Association Normalization Committee to convey to the public and the football stakeholders the decisions of the Normalization Committee on the screening of nominees for various Executive Positions in the Sierra Leone Football association. The Process The Normalization Committee received a total of 13 nominations for 5 SLFA Executive positions: President of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mrs. Isha Abiodun Johansen 2. Mr. Rodney Edmond Michael 3. Mr. Mohamed Kallon 4. Mr. Foday Ibrahim Turay Vice President (1) of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. Brima Mazzola Kamara 2. Mr. Mohamed Jabbie Vice President (2) of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. Alie Mohamed Kargbo 2. Mr. Idrissa Tarawally Executive Members of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. John Dee Dissa 2. Mr. Alie Badara Tarawalie 3. Mr. Umaru Jogor Barrie 4. Alhaji Nasiru Deen Othman 5. Mr. Sadiq Deen Nyakoh The Committee, in reaching its decisions, carefully reviewed the Nomination Forms received, assessed the merits of all petitions received, and took into consideration the responses of each nominee during the screening test. Where applicable, the Committee consulted FIFA and other relevant statutory bodies in Sierra Leone. The Decisions President of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mrs. Isha Abiodun Johansen is qualified to vie for the position of President, SLFA. 2. Mr. Rodney Edmond Michael is not qualified to vie for the position of President, SLFA. The reasons for this decision are as follows: Mr. Rodney Michael contravened Article 25 of the FIFA code of Ethics which states that: “Person bound by this code shall be forbidden from taking part in, either directly or indirectly, or otherwise being associated with betting, gambling, lotteries and similar events or transaction connected with football. They are forbidden from having stakes either actively or passively in companies, concerns, organization etc that promote, broker, arrange or conduct such events”. Mr. Michael admitted to the Normalization Committee during the integrity test held on Tuesday, 23rd July 2013 and also in a popular Saturday Radio Programme (Monologue hosted by Star Radio – FM 103.5) on Saturday, 20th July 2013 that he provides consultancy services to a Betting Company in Sierra Leone, Mercury International on behalf of Nationwide Logistics Supplies and Construction Company Limited. Mr. Michael also acknowledged that he has helped people to secure Betting machines from Mercury International and that, if he had the opportunity, he will recommend more people to secure betting machines from Mercury International. The Committee also noted that one of the two Shareholders of the Company Nationwide Logistics Supplies and Construction Company Limited is a close relative of Mr. Michael. The Committee further noted that the Brother of Mr. Rodney Michael in the person of Mr. Martin Michael is the Managing Director of Mercury International. 3. Mr. Mohamed Kallon is not qualified to vie for the position of President, SLFA. This is because Mr. Mohamed Kallon has not met the requirement of Article 32 (4) of the SLFA Constitution which states that: “The members of the executive committee shall be citizens of Sierra Leone and shall have resided in Sierra Leone for a period of no less than five (5) years prior to the congress of which they seek to be elected.” Mr. Kallon presented his passport to enable the committee verify his status. The passport presented shows that Mr Kallon had obtained a residential status and not merely a work permit in another country between 2008 and 2011. In addition to that, Mr. Kallon signed a one-year contract in 2010 with a Chinese Super League side, SHAANXII CHANBA FC and fully honoured that contract for the stipulated period which makes him contravene Article 32(4) of the SLFA Constitution. 4. Mr. Foday Ibrahim Turay is not qualified to vie for the position of President, SLFA. The reasons for this decision is as follows: Mr. Turay was disqualified because he admitted to the Normalization Committee that he entered into a contract with Mercury International, a Betting Company for a betting machine, an action which contravenes Article 25 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Vice President (1) of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. Brima Mazzola Kamara is qualified to vie for the position of Vice President (1), SLFA. 2. Mr. Mohamed Jabbie is qualified to vie for the position of Vice President (1), SLFA. Vice President (2) of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. Alie Mohamed Kargbo is qualified to vie for the position of Vice President (2), SLFA. 2. Mr. Idrissa Tarawally is not qualified to vie for the position of Vice President (2), SLFA. Mr. Tarawally was disqualified because he admitted to the Normalization Committee that he entered into a contract with Mercury International, a Betting Company for a betting machine which contravenes Article 25 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Executive Members of the Sierra Leone Football Association 1. Mr. John Dee Dissa is not qualified to vie for the position of Executive Member, SLFA. Mr. Dissa was disqualified because he admitted to the Normalization Committee that he entered into a contract with Mercury International, a Betting Company for a betting machine which contravenes Article 25 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. 2. Mr. Alie Badara Tarawalie is qualified to vie for the position of Executive Member, SLFA 3. Mr. Umaru Jogor Barrie Executive Member, is qualified to vie for the position of Executive Member, SLFA 4. Alhaji Nasiru Deen Othman is qualified to vie for the position of Executive Member, SLFA 5. Mr. Sadiq Deen Nyakoh is qualified to vie for the position of Executive Member, SLFA THE PUBLIC IS TO NOTE THAT ALL DECISIONS ARRIVED AT IN RELATION TO THE VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 25 OF THE FIFA CODE OF ETHICS IS AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLICIT AUTHORIZATION OBTAINED FROM FIFA FOR THE COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS CODE AND ITS APPLICATION IS ADHERED TO THE FULLEST. Signed: Mamadi Gobeh Kamara Member and PRO, Normalization Committee, SLFA Dated: 27th July 2013. ________________________________________ After the FIFA Normalization Committee had disqualified the five candidates on Sunday, July 28th, the aggrieved parties staged a demonstration the following day to State House. On that same day, Mr. Rodney Edmond Michael and the other four wrote a strongly worded five-paged petition letter to FIFA challenging the decision of the NC and called on FIFA to reverse the decision and allow all candidates to contest. They submitted a similar protest letter to His Excellency, President Ernest Bai Koroma the same Monday. His Excellency the President invited all parties to State House on Tuesday, July 30th to have first-hand knowledge on what went wrong. During the discussion, Mr. Rodney Michael informed the President that he has sent a petition to FIFA and he’s awaiting the response of the world football governing body. He told the gathering that certain individuals are bent on preventing him from contributing positively to the President’s Agenda for Prosperity programme adding that the NC wrongly interpreted Article 25 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. The President said, ‘’ok, well let’s all wait for the reply from FIFA and know whether the NC has taken the right decision or not’’. The meeting was adjourned to the following day, Wednesday, July 31st when it was expected that FIFA might have replied to the petition. Yesterday, Wednesday, July 31st, FIFA replied to Mr. Michael’s petition in a very short and succinct letter stating that it ‘’acknowledged receipt of the petition letter… that the Normalization Committee was appointed by FIFA with a clear mandate to act as an Electoral Body and that its decision is final, binding and not subject to any appeal’’. Meanwhile, two FIFA officials, Primo Corvaro and Ghana-born Prosper Abega will be arriving in Freetown this afternoon to witness the holding of the elections for the contested positions in Freetown this Saturday, August 3rd. They will be flown immediately to State House to brief the President. Later, all parties are scheduled to meet with the President this evening and present the FIFA reply to him. ________________________________________ The final nail on the coffin!! I know my distinguished followers of my facebook postings are eagerly waiting on the latest on today’s meeting at State House in relation to the SLFA saga. Well, ladies and gentlemen here I come; 1. The two-man FIFA delegation, Primo Corvaro and Prosper Abega touched down at the Lungi International Airport at exactly 13:00hrs, Sierra Leone time. They were picked up by the Acting General Secretary of the SLFA, Abdulrahman Swaray and the Presidential Youth Aide at State House, Bai Mahmoud Bangura and driven directly to State Lodge to meet with His Excellency, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. 2. On arrival, Primo who is the head of delegation briefed the President that FIFA had already communicated its position to the SLFA and the aggrieved candidates, that the decision of the Normalization Committee is final, binding and not subject to any appeal. Primo further asked the President if he is aware of what Sierra Leone stands to benefit from FIFA by electing a woman as President of its football Association, the second to hold such a post in the world after Burundi’s FA President, Lydia Nsekera? (Please note that Madam Lydia Nsekera now holds the record as the first ever woman to be elected to the powerful FIFA Executive Committee after her success at the last FIFA Congress in Mauritius. No woman has ever been elected to the FIFA Executive Committee in the entire 109 years of FIFA’s existence. FIFA has a membership of 208 States. All, but only one is a woman). He said FIFA is now encouraging more women to take up responsibilities in the management of football. 3. After the briefings from the FIFA dele, His Excellency the President summoned all the parties once again to State House at 17:00hrs. 4. The President told them that he has been thoroughly briefed by the FIFA delegation and has seen the FIFA letter. He said as President, he cannot overturn the decision of the Normalization Committee and urged all parties to respect the decision of the NC. He said every organization has its laid down rules and regulations which must be respected as law abiding citizens. He urged all to work together for the progress of the game and the country. The President also informed the gathering that he is under oath to protect the country, her people and property, therefore the security of the state is paramount and will not be compromised at any level, adding that the security for the SLFA elections slated for this Saturday, August 3rd has been handed over to the Inspector General of Police. He warned all to desist from utterances that might provoke unrest and anyone who flouts this warning by calling any funny demonstrations will have him/herself to blame as such individual will face the full wrath of the law. 5. The meeting ended. © 2013, COCORIOKO. All rights reserved. – Discuss this and other related articles on the Salone Forum
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 00:13:37 +0000
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