The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) is continuing its fight against the disqualification of its Under-17 team from the U17 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers (WAFU Zone A), originally set to kick off today (21st October 2024) in Senegal.

Sierra Leone, along with Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, was disqualified due to the failure of five players in the MRI test, which was part of the competition’s medical protocol.

CAF, the governing body of African football, stated that the failure of these players to pass the MRI test breached the competition’s regulations, which mandates disqualification for any team whose players fail to meet the necessary criteria. However, the SLFA has strongly contested this decision, asking the organizers to provide the names of the five players involved and requesting a retest, pointing to their pre-test results conducted at Freetown’s EcoMed Advanced Medical Diagnostic Hospital. The SLFA has stressed that this facility has a strong record of reliable MRI tests, previously certified by CAF in 2020 and 2022, with no discrepancies.

Earlier today, just before the scheduled start of the tournament, a report emerged that the competition had been put on hold, with no clear explanation or rescheduled date provided. However, sources close to the tournament organizers indicated that a retest of the MRI for all three disqualified nations—Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau—might be in the works, raising hopes for a potential reversal of the disqualification.

Though the SLFA has not issued an official statement as of now, insiders close to the team have expressed optimism that Sierra Leone’s U17 team might still have the chance to participate in the qualifiers, pending further developments.

The situation remains fluid, and all eyes will be on the CAF to provide clarity and a potential resolution that could see Sierra Leone’s youth team return to the competition.