The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has announced April 26, 2025 as the new date for their Ordinary Congress. This new date is followed after the April 5 Ordinary Congress at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel was aborted due to violence and chaos.

The SLFA said the earlier Congress was aborted due to a lack of security after the Personal Assistant, David Turner and other members at the Congress were attacked and wounded.

Although the actual cause of the violence is unknown, some factions within the football sphere in the country have said that the cause of the violence is due to a late publication of the delegates list. The list contains names of individuals to vote during the Congress for the election of the SLFA President.

The contest is between Thomas Daddy Brima, the current SLFA President, and Babadi Kamara, the Chairman of Bo Rangers Football Club.

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Both camps are optimistic about winning the football top seat in the West African nation.

Violence during the SLFA Congress has a history and is reminiscent of past incidents, notably when Isha Johansen was elected to the leadership several years ago. This recent outbreak of violence has been attributed by some football experts to the increasing influence of national politics on the football association, suggesting that the politicisation of the FA may be a contributing factor.

The football governing body, FIFA, maintains a clear stance against the intertwining of local politics with the sport of football. Engaging in such practices can result in significant penalties, including suspension from all activities associated with FIFA. FIFA said that this policy is focused on the importance of keeping the sport free from political influence.

In October 2018, FIFA suspended Sierra Leone due to government interference in the association’s operations. This action was a result of the removal of then FIFA President, Isha Johansen and her Secretary General, Chris Kamara by the Anti-Corruption Commission from office. FIFA, at the time, viewed the action as third-party interference in national football associations.

Recent events in the country have mirrored previous occurrences, notably following the invitation of Brima, the current President of the Football Association (FA), for questioning by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding allegations of corruption.