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The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has requested the registration of football academies seeking recognition as functioning football training schools across the country, as part of the implementation of the FIFA Connect program. This call was made in a press release dated July 25, 2023, stated that the FIFA Connect program is a global football development program, that helps member associations register their stakeholders and track the progress of players, coaches, and referees. The FIFA ID Code, which will be given to players and officials, is expected to help accurately project the game in Sierra Leone by providing a more accurate and up-to-date record of players and officials, which will help to improve the overall level of football in the country. The SLFA outlined a set of criteria for academies to be considered viable registrants, including the recognition of district and regional football bodies, the completion of the registration forms and a payment fee of five thousand Leones. No deadline for this process has been set.

Goalkeeper of Hada Fc’s under-13 Yayah Lamin Turay has died after a short illness. This occurred yesterday July 25, 2023. Yayah who was a talented goalkeeper was known for his dedication to the game and plans for a career in the sport. The funeral for Yayah who was exactly 13-years-old will be held today at 4:00 pm. The team members, officials and family expressed sadness on the loss of a gifted teen just at the start of his life.

Forward Mohamed Buya Turay has added another goal to his overall and new team stats, after netting his third goal for his Danish Super League debut, for Odense Boldklub on July 23, 2023. The Sierra Leonean striker gave OB a 2-1 lead over Viborg FF by scoring in the 37th minute but his efforts to help his team win was thwarted by another goal on their opponent’s side, which caused the match to end in a 2-2 draw. Turay, who joined OB in May 2023, has scored three goals in four appearances, including a brace in a 3-2 win over Randers FC on July 16, easily placing him as a key player for the team. Turay's goal against Viborg was his first in the Danish Super League since joining the Club this Season though he had previously played in the league for Sint-Truiden and Djurgårdens IF. Though the match ended in a draw, the team continues in 10th place in the Danish Super League table.

Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture for Germany has today pledged a €10million to the government of Sierra Leone as support towards the school feeding initiative of the government. Minister Cem Özdemir made this pledge after President Bio's statement at the first United Nation's Food Summit in Rome, where he presented on the government's past efforts on education and its continuation, as well as the "feed salone" agenda since June 24th 2023. See details in previous article https://www.sarahkallay.com/post/president-bio-at-un-food-summit-says-800-000-pupils-have-benefited-from-school-feeding-program President Bio had remarked on their success in feeding 800,000 pupils since 2018, with 80% of this program's budget sponsored by government and informed them of his plans to continue this drive on his second term. The total money pledged by the German Government is €22million, with the remaining €12million to be allocated to Laos.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, currently attending the first food summit organized by the United Nations in Rome, has said that over eight hundred thousand pupils have benefited from the food feeding program since its launch by his government in 2018. President Bio whilst addressing key stakeholders including world leaders to accelerate action for a more sustainable, productive and inclusive global food systems, continued that the targeted number of pupils for his initiative had been two hundred and fifty thousand in two districts, with the partnership of the World Food Program and the Catholic Relief Services, but that with the positive reception and execution of the project, the government had expanded it, shouldering eighty percent(80) of the fiscal responsibilities. He noted that since becoming a member of the School Meal Coalition in 2022, his government has worked towards resolving barriers of transforming food systems towards accelerating progress, with a set goal of ensuring access to nutritional meals for pupils by 2030. The impact of the positive reception are earmarked by the increased enrollment, retention, reduced physical stunting and a close of the gender disparity in the educational system. These achievements are however overshadowed, the President stated, by the challenges of currency depreciation, payment of external debts, and global crises, threatening the agenda of his second term’s “feed Salone”. He concluded that despite this, his government seeks to partner with local producers to invest in agriculture and value development logistics. The summit which commenced today continues until the 26th July 2023.

In the hot but humid conditions of Dar Es Salaam on 24th July, 2023, Sierra Leone crushed Nigeria by 9 wickets in the second match of the ICC U-19 Men's World Cup Qualifier Africa Division 1 Tournament. Batting first, Nigeria was bowled out for just 73 runs in 27 overs. George Sesay was the star of the bowling attack, taking 4 wickets for 21 runs. Ibrahim Sesay and Raymond Coker also took two wickets each. In reply, Sierra Leone cruised to victory in just 17.5 overs, scoring 74 runs for the loss of one wicket. Raymond Coker top-scored with 22 runs, while Alusine Turay made 38 runs. The victory was a significant one for Sierra Leone, as it ended their winless run against Nigeria in ICC-arranged matches. It also moved them to the top of the points table, with 4 points from 2 matches. Head Coach Kenneth Masinga was pleased with the performance of his team, saying "we knew that this was a big match for us "We wanted to start the tournament with a win, and we did that. I'm very proud of the boys." Sierra Leone will next face Kenya on Tuesday, July 25th.

Younger sister of First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Jariatu Darbo has gotten married to her partner Anafieu Tejan Cole in a two day wedding over the weekend at Presidential lodge. The wedding was hosted by her sister Madam Fatima Bio herself and husband President Julius Maada Bio. Jariatu and the first lady are known to share a closer bond than most siblings, akin to that of a mother and daughter and this is reflected in the kind of wedding organized for her. Congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple!

The Sierra Leone Cycling Stars has embarked on a charity road show from Masiaka to Conakry, Guinea, on July 23, 2023. The road show will cover a distance of approximately 337 kilometers and is expected to take five days to complete. The cyclists will be stopping along the way to meet with local communities and promote the benefits of cycling. The road show is being organized by a team of Sierra Leonean cyclists who are passionate about promoting cycling as a healthy and sustainable form of transportation. They are also excited to explore the beautiful countryside of Guinea and meet new people along the way. The cyclists are hoping to inspire others to get involved in cycling and to make a difference in their Communities.

The Sierra Leone Premier League has concluded on Saturday, July 22th 2023, with Bo Rangers crowned champions. They finished the season with 34 matches unbeaten, a remarkable feat in the history of the Sierra Leone Football. East End Tigers finished in 18th place with 34 points, Kamboi Eagles finished in 16th place with 38 points, and FC Johansen finished in 17th place with 38 points. East End Tigers, Kamboi Eagles, and FC Johansen were relegated to the First Division. The other teams that finished in the top 5 were Mighty Blackpool (2nd), East End Lions (3rd), FC Kallon (4th) and Ports Authority (5th). East End Tigers, Kamboi Eagles, and FC Johansen were relegated to the First Division. The Sierra Leone Premier League is the top tier of football in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1964 and is currently contested by 18 teams. Congratulations to Bo Rangers on their championship!

The ICC Under-19 Qualifier in Dar es Salaam will commence on Monday, July 24th, with Nigeria taking on Sierra Leone in the opening match. The tournament will also feature Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and hosts Tanzania. Nigeria Captain Ridwan, is optimistic that his team can win the trophy and qualify for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He said in a pre-tournament interview that his team is "mentally, physically and professionally ready to battle it out with Sierra Leone". Sierra Leone Captain John Bangura is also confident that his team can upset Nigeria. He said that his team is "determined to make a statement" at the tournament. The matches will be played at the Dar Gymkhana Club and the University of Dar-es-Salaam (UDSM) ovals. The top two teams will qualify for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The Sierra Leone Premier League disciplinary and protests committee has handed down a fine of 10,000 new Leones to FC Kallon for failing to honor a re-match against Wilberforce Strikers on July 18, 2023 at the Attouga Mini-Stadium. The committee also forfeited the match to Wilberforce Strikers, giving them three points. Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Referees Committee has suspended three referees, Abdul J. Gbla, Abu Bakarr Fofana and Mustapha M. Kamara, for poor performance in the league match between Kamboi Eagles and Freetown City Football Club on July 16, 2023 at the Kenema Mini-Stadium. Gbla has been suspended for five months, Fofana for four months and Kamara for three months. These disciplinary actions are being describes as clear messages from the SLFA that it will not tolerate any disrespect for the game or its officials. They are also meant to serve as reminders to all teams and referees that they have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of conduct.

The champions of the 2022/2023 Sierra Leone Female Premier League, Mogbwemo Queens, are set to compete in the WAFU Zone A Zonal qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Champions League qualifiers in Liberia. The team will face AS Dakar from Senegal on August 7, AS Mande from Mali on August 9, and hosts Determine Girls of Liberia on August 12. Mogbwemo Queens are confident that they can challenge for the title, with the leadership of their Captain Rashidatu Kamara. Kamara is thrilled to help her team qualify for the tournament and she is determined to ensure that the team achieves great things. "We have been training very hard for this competition, and we are confident that we can make a good showing," said Kamara. "We know that the opposition will be tough, but we are up for the challenge. We are determined to make history for Sierra Leone in football." The CAF Women's Champions League is a major opportunity for women's football in Africa to showcase itself on the world stage. Mogbwemo Queens' participation in the tournament is a significant step forward for women's football in Sierra Leone, and it could help to inspire other female teams in the country to follow in their footsteps.