-SLFA President

By Musa Conteh

The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Mr. Babadi Kamara, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening core football skills, improving governance, and deepening accountability within the country’s football system.

Speaking at a press conference held on Thursday at the SLFA Secretariat in Kingtom, Mr. Babadi said the primary goal of his leadership is to explore and reinforce what he described as “core skills”—the fundamental standards of balance, competence, and professionalism required to function effectively in the football industry.

“When we talk about the core position, we are talking about balance, competence, and the normal standards required to operate effectively,” the SLFA President said. “There is a video many of you have watched that shows what is considered normal and acceptable. It helps us understand where we are and where we need to be.”

Mr. Kamara noted that football is one of the biggest industries in the world, making measurement, accountability, and proper decision-making essential. He admitted that balanced decisions have not always been practiced in the past, stressing that the SLFA now has a responsibility to assert itself both locally and globally.

According to him, the path forward lies in good governance, which he described as inclusive participation, openness to criticism, honesty about challenges, and the courage to address shortcomings.

“Good governance means being open to discussion and criticism. It means admitting when things are not right and having the courage to fix them,” he said.

The SLFA President emphasized that the engagement with the media and stakeholders was not a mere formality, but a deliberate effort to encourage genuine dialogue and collaboration.

“There are things you may know that we do not know, and there are things we know that you may not know. But when we come together openly, everyone will clearly understand where we stand,”

Reflecting on his nearly five months in office, Mr. Kamara described the progress made so far as encouraging, stating that his leadership approach is focused on responsible and sustainable work rather than seeking applause or meeting unrealistic expectations.

In his closing remarks, he thanked stakeholders for their continued support and patriotism.

“I thank you for your commitment, your patriotism, and your dedication to the progress of our country—the country we proudly call one of the best in the world,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the SLFA Secretary General also addressed the gathering, outlining several challenges currently facing the association and the steps being taken to address them.

He disclosed plans to improve the construction and rehabilitation of playing grounds, enhance support to the health sector, and improve transportation arrangements for national team players.

The Secretary General further revealed that discussions are underway to establish agreements with telecommunications companies Orange and Africell to enable the sale of sports data packages to the public, a move expected to boost football accessibility and revenue generation.

He also expressed appreciation to Marampa Mining Company and Leone Rock Mining for their sponsorship of the men’s national football league, describing their support as vital to the growth of domestic football.

On coaching development, the Secretary General stressed that the SLFA is tightening standards for coaching licences, insisting that only well-qualified and experienced coaches will be certified.

“Coaching licences must be earned. Coaches must be properly qualified and experienced before they can be granted a licence,” he said.

The press conference marked another step in the SLFA’s renewed effort to reform football governance, infrastructure, and professionalism across Sierra Leone.