FC Johansen has threatened legal action against the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) and the Western Area Football Association (WAFA), describing its relegation to the Division Two League as unlawful, unconstitutional, and politically motivated.

The club said it will challenge the decision through both local and international football bodies, warning that the matter could damage the credibility and integrity of football governance in Sierra Leone.

FC Johansen, owned by former SLFA President and FIFA Council Member Isha Johansen, finished 17th in the 2022/2023 Premier League season and was relegated at the end of the campaign.

However, the club argues that its current exclusion from the WAFA-organized Division One “snappy league” was not based on sporting performance but on unfair administrative actions.

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WAFA officials insist they acted on directives from SLFA to reduce the number of Division One teams from 31 to 20. WAFA Administrative Secretary James Samuel Esq. said the association informed clubs about the competition and that FC Johansen failed to participate.

“We issued a press release informing all clubs. Thirty teams participated, but FC Johansen did not show up for any matches,” Samuel said.

FC Johansen strongly disputes this claim. The club’s Head of Administration, James Momorie, said the team never received any official communication from WAFA regarding the competition. According to Momorie, WAFA attempted to reach the club using an incorrect phone number, which he said belonged to another team, Luawa FC.

“This decision tends to destroy the beautiful game we all love. It is clearly unfair and biased against FC Johansen, and we are not going to take it lightly,” Momorie said.

Momorie also disclosed that during a meeting chaired by SLFA President Babadi Kamara, it was acknowledged that WAFA had been instructed to organize the shortened competition. He said that following the meeting, FC Johansen contacted Kamara directly.

“He admitted that he did not recognize the so-called ‘snappy league’ and promised to investigate the matter,” Momorie said.

FC Johansen has since filed a formal appeal with the SLFA and notified the Ministry of Sports. The club said it is also preparing to escalate the case to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

According to the club, the relegation contradicts an earlier SLFA Executive Committee directive which stated that no team would be relegated during the restructuring process. Momorie said this inconsistency raises serious legal and governance concerns.

“This situation raises serious concerns about consistency, legality, and fairness in the administration of the game,” he said.

FC Johansen said it is seeking the restoration of its membership rights and may pursue compensation for damages if international football bodies rule in its favor. The club warned that SLFA could face sanctions, including fines, suspensions, or funding-related consequences, should CAF or FIFA determine that football regulations were breached.