Muctar Koroma Blog

Surfing is a surface water sport in which the wave rider, referred to as a surfer, rides on the forward or deep face of a moving wave, which is usually carrying the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found in the ocean, but can also be found in lakes or rivers in the form of a standing wave or tidal bore. However, surfers can also utilize artificial waves such as those from boat wakes and the waves created in artificial wave pools. Surfing is an international sports that is not popularly known in Sierra Leone because the required equipment to play the game are not available in the country. But Young beach workers have started changing that narrative as Surfing is becoming a reality in the country. Speaking to this medium, one of the players Steven Pratt said that they have started playing surfing in the Bureh Beach community situated within the western rural district of the country and has helped to attract more tourist into the country. He said that...

The UK based Coventry city striker who had seen is form transform to another level is set to miss his dream start for Sierra Leone. Amadou Bakayoko was invited to play for Leone Stars in their second match of the 2019 AFCON qualifier against the 'waliyas Antelpoes' of Ethiopia. Information reaching this medium stated that Amadou Bakayoko will not be available for the trip to Ethiopia because of documentation evidence. The confederation of Africa football rules state that “any player who want to represent his/her country on national duty shall provide a valid national passport on inspection day”.  These rules from CAF has automatically disqualified Amadou Bakayoko because he does not hold Sierra Leone passport, Which has denied him the opportunity to put on Leone Start’s Jersey for the first-time when Sierra Leone face Ethiopia on September 9 2018 in Hawassa. Close sources to Bakayoko said the team manager of Leone Star's Christian Duada worked assiduously to secure a ...

The US-based  chief executive officer of Thunder Bolt football academy in Sierra Leone who is a   former defender of Eastern Lions Dede Abu, has supported friends of Attouga mini stadium football competition  with a giant gold trophy worth  hundreds of dollars as a way of promoting local   football in Sierra Leone. Dede Abu is a Sierra Leone based soccer coach in USA working for thunder soccer association in Maryland. Under this association, coach Dede is in charge of two youth soccer teams, under-ten Celtics boys and under-fourteen Boca junior youth boys. According to the former Defender Dede Abu, his good gesture to the FAMS0 organization is part of his work to see football gain life again in Sierra Leone. He continued that he bought the trophy because he had access to trophies, and when he was approached by the chief Organizer Alimamy Sheriff, he felt obliged to give back to his discipline. “It is my desire to see football play as there are a l...

The last competitive football premier league in Sierra Leone was played in 2012 under the leadership of Victor Lewis as Chairman of the Board. The 2014 premier league under the aegis of Madam Isha Johansen ended abruptly in the first round. It was the first and last time the elite competition was organized in her five year tenure. The last four years of Isha's leadership have been very challenging with  club owners refusing to participate  until she convened congress.  The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) executive last year appointed one time Vice President of SLFA Joseph Samba Kelfala Chairman of the Sierra Leone Premier league Board, his appointment was marred by controversies stemming from petitions and challenges by almost all premier league clubs; prominent among criticisms was that his appointment was due to party politics. With the resumption of local leagues now imminent, Joseph Samba Kelfala has confirmed that nothing will stand in the way of the gam...

After naming a preliminary Squad of 35 Players the Head Coach of Leone Stars John Keister has cut the squad down to Twenty three (23) players ahead of the crucial Match against the ‘Walyas’. Despite no effective league playing in the country, there were places in the squad for young FC Johansen Goalkeeper Mohamed N Kamara, and defender Abu Suma former player for FC Johansen. UK trio based Alhaji Sesay who plays for Bristol City in England, Osman Kakay of Queens Park Rangers and Amadou Bakayoko of Coventry City were also named in the squad alongside long time absentee Sheka Fofanah who plays his international football for Al Nasr in the Oman professional elite league. The 23 Man Squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Solomon Zombo Morris (Rodeo FC (FRA) Alhaji Sesay (Bristol City (ENG) Mohamed N Kamara (FC Johansen) Defenders: Yeami Dunia (Standard FC) Guinea) Umaru Bangura (FC Zurich SWZ) David Simbo (Kurtulisspor TUR) Alie Sesay (AOX Kissamikos GRE) Hassan Milla Sesay (FC L...

While there has been plenty of debate about the merits of VAR – video assistant referees – recently, the bottom line remains the same; a bad call from a referee can change the outcome of a football match entirely. The Central One Football Association (COFA) over the years, has pride itself as one of the most credible armature football organization in Sierra Leone. With the nonexistence of major football leagues in Sierra Leone, COFA competition has over the years been the point of call for football fanatics to feed their passion. This year’s COFA competition has been described by many as a success, primarily due to the absence of major skirmishes and acrimony. The 2018 COFA final on the 26 August, 2018, officiated by Shuaibu Bangura, saw Fourah Bay Community and Shell Community battling it out for a grand price of Fifty Million Leones (Le 50,000,000) at the association’s only turf, parade grounds, in Freetown. Ninety minutes of entertaining football ensued in...

Lack of home football league in Sierra Leone, has not stopped the head coach of Leone Stars John Keister, from including 10 home-based talents in his 35 man provisional squad, ahead of the African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) fixtures with Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya. Sierra Leone won her first AFCON match against Kenya in Freetown, which was a big boost to kick-start the tight fixtures in September and October. The tie against the “Walias” of Ethiopia would be Keister’s second match in charge of the Leone Stars; a duel many football enthusiast believe, Keister’s boys would emerge with 3 points, after a decade and half without winning an away match.     A die-hearted supporter of Leone Stars described the show down with the Walias as a MUST win encounter, if the country is serious about qualifying for Cameroon 2019; calling on the gaffer to have Kei Ansu Kamara and Mohamed Buya Kamara as striking partner – both of whom have been in sparkling goal scoring form this season.  ...

In a letter dated 17th August 2018 the acting chairman of the western area football association Pastor Philip Buck said  he acted based on the powers giving to him as enshrined in the western area football association statues article 18(6) to appoint or dismiss the secretary general if the need arises. The acting Chairman Pastor Buck said he took the action of relieving Kasho Holland Cole  of his position because he want to succeed in running football in the western area of Freetown. He accused the Sacked WAFA general Secretary of causing the association to be in a stagnated state and that he derailed the smooth running of the western area football association. The acting Chairman of WAFA said he has been deprived access to the WAFA office for the executive committee,    their usual executive meeting and the continuous closure of the said office without notifying the EXCO for such action has become a challenge. “We were made to recognized that all the...

It could be recalled that Leone stars took on the Lone Stars of Liberia in a friendly Match at the Samuel K Doe Sport Complex in Monrovia in celebration of Liberia’s independence day. Leone Stars played to a Goalless draw in a highly competitive match and the Team Manager of Leone Stars is anticipating a successful outing for the Leone Stars against The Walyas of Ethopia after a successful victory in Sierra Leone's opening match against Kenya. The Team Manager Christian Dauda said  the Leone Stars Technical team headed by Coach John Keister has been working tirelessly with the Stars to keep them physically fit and mentally prepared ahead of the match against Ethiopia despite there is no effective league playing in the Country for the last four years. In the last Friendly Match Leone Stars played against the Lone Stars of Liberia the Team Manager played a pivotal role in bringing back two foreign based players who were long time absentees in the Leone Stars call up. Alie S...

Shell community and Fourah Bay community are the two giant communities to grace this year final at the Parade field in the western area of Freetown. Due to security concern the central one football association for the past two year has been playing their final at the national stadium in Freetown. But due to the rehabilitation of the national stadium the central one football association has decided to host the final in the central part of Freetown. Confirming the date of the final the   Chairman of the central one football association Sama Sesay said in a meeting held with the communities they were able to agree that the final played on the last Sunday of August. He said due to the face-lift work at the national stadium the Central one football association and the two communities decided to play the finals at the parade grounds, central of Freetown. Chairman Sama S esay said this year’s COFA league competition has been an exciting one as the normal big communities like...

In a bid to ensure the country's sporting facilities are suitable for the impending WAFU U-17 female competition, a team of officials from WAFU led by the scribe Jammeh  Bojan visited the country on Monday August 13 2018, to assess the country's preparedness to stage the Zone A WAFU U-17 female competition. The secretary general of WAFU Jammeh Bojan in a press conference held at the Country Lodge hotel in Freetown, August 16 2018,  he said they inspected stadium, hotel, training facilities in Bo, Makeni and Kono and found them in a satisfactory state. Bojan’s said he felt satisfied with the facilities inspected so far and can authoritatively say all the facilities seen are in good shape for the tournament. He singled out the Diamond hotel in Kono because of its uniqueness and delighted to know that the receptionist in all the hotel they visited were professional who know how to handle guest. Bojan furthered said everything they saw in Bo, Makeni and Kono resemble wh...

The Training is strategic to ensure the upgrade of Volleyball Referees and Coaches in Sierra Leone and at the same time increase the number of Volleyball Referees in the Country. The international beach volleyball Commissioner and Referee; Mohamed Benson Bawoh confirmed that it is part of their annual plan to see that they upgrade and train more people on volleyball in the country. He further disclosed that this training will be organized to sharpen the skills of existing referees and recruit new breed of referees to support the School League and at the same time be ready for the volleyball league season.  “The coaches’ course is mainly targeting physical Health Education Teachers to serve as first contact coaches for the kids in their respective schools and prepare the school Teams for the school league soon to commence” Benson emphasized. When asked about the benefit of the training after the completion, the beach Volleyball Commissioner and Referee said they a...

SLFA president Madam Isha Johansen has welcomed the Secretary General of the West Africa Football Union to Sierra Leone. Receiving the Secretary General of the West Africa football union Jammeh Bojang, the President of the Sierra Leone Football Association Madam Isha Johansen said the under-17 female tournament will be a global showcase for Sierra Leone in Africa and the world at large. She said Sierra Leone as a country is well prepared to show Africa that the country is now opened to the world in terms of football. Isha Johansen who is the head of female football in Africa and Executive committee member of the Confederation of Africa Football CAF, said her executive and the government of President Julius Madaa Bio are committed and working tirelessly to put up a great female football show for West African nations coming to Sierra Leone to witness  the tournament. “It has always been my  dream to put Sierra Leone at the top in terms of  bringing goodies to the ...

In a bid to improve and establish Roll ball in West Africa the roll ball council of West Africa has held its first elective congress in Dakar, Senegal. Sierra Leone Roll ball president was elected as the  second most powerful man in West Africa roll ball council. Expressing his delight and happiness, the newly elected vice president of the West Africa region roll ball council Noel William said  he was elected as the second most powerful man in West Africa roll ball council because of his contribution  to the  development of roll ball in Sierra Leone. He said their plan as West Africa roll ball council is to develop roll ball   within the sixteen countries in West Africa region, as East Africa was far ahead in terms of development of roll ball in that part of the continent. “Out of sixteen countries in West Africa ten countries were able to attend the congress which was held in Senegal which gave them the mandate to form committees to run and draw deve...

Last year’s NEA Awards to many was seen as one of the most successful annual events to be ever held in Sierra Leone, as it attracted over thousands of Sierra Leoneans from all walks-of-life, who attended the event at the prestigious Bintumani International Auditorium, at Aberdeen in Freetown. For the first time this year LAKE annual NEA awards will have two new categories for sports journalists in the country. The Chief Executive Officer for LAKE Production Alhaji K.  Tarawally, popularly known as  Laj-K confirmed to this media that they have added two spaces for sports journalists which are for Best Print Media Sports Journalist and Best Electronics Media Sports Journalist of the Year ‘We created the two spaces for sports journalists to have more opportunity in recognising their tireless service  in propagating sports in the country. As sport is one of the biggest sectors in the Creative Industry," Laj-K noted. He said that the 2017 National Entertainment Aw...

Ahmed Sasso was born in Freetown at  the Dr. Lahai Taylor Hospital in Brookfield's Western Area, and hails from a very passionate football family. Sasso attended the Murray Deen Preparatory School & then later proceeded to the  St. Edward's Secondary School May Park Kingtom. He started his professional football career at age 16. During his footballing days he was gifted with so much talent which makes him very smart to play among big name players in the country during the 1980s.  Ahmad Sasso played for top clubs like Old Edwardians, Eastern Lions, Tikonko Fisheries, and many more. Despite not been able to represent Leone Stars at Senior level Ahmad Sasso has been very passionate about promoting sports, He is among the few Ex-footballers in Sierra Leone that has always been giving back by organizing football matches for Ex Footballers and Veterans Unite all over the country. He is renowned for bringing Ex-Players together with the support of Ali Colisee Abdal...

It could be recalled that the head coach of Leones Stars John Keister  granted  an interview to the  BBC sports stringer Mohamed Fajah Barrie in which he told him that,  "lack of major football league in the country has affected his selection of players for the Leone Star national team." This statement according to the SLFA boss madam Isha Johansen was viewed as disrespectful and full of fallacies and a ploy   to present her executive in a bad manner to the international scene. The Madam has now instructed the Leone Stars head coach to tender an apology for such a statement against her and her executive. However the head coach has refuted saying such a statement was not made by him. According to some sources the head coach had been ask before to tending an apology which was not done by him leaving the SLFA boss to confront him in person demanding for an apology.    It’s no hidden secret to football followers that the relati...

Fifty Sierra Leonean referees have completed a two-day training using micro gate, which is the standard technical equipment required for referees  trainings.  The training was organized by the Western Area Referee Association (WARA) at the national stadium in Freetown, with the aim to teach the referees and abreast them with new laws and goal line technology recently introduced to help reduce mistakes inadvertently or otherwise caused by referees across the world. The local instructor of WARA, Anabi Yusuf Kamara said the training was organized to aufait the referees with modern technology for best practice, adding that the training is also in line with the world football governing body (FIFA) transformational Statues. "We are part of the globe and therefore all the best practices governing football should be understood and fully adhered to by our referees," Anabi told journalists. He said training of this nature keeps the referees mentally alert and physically ac...