International Football
FIFA’S SIERRA LEONE MATCH-FIXING INVESTIGATION HEADS FOR FREETOWN
BY CHRIS OBUKWELU.nn nn nnFIFA’s four-man investigation unit probing potential match fixing in Sierra Leonean football will finally arrive in Freetown on Sunday.nn nnThe panel is due to commence the investigation after extended delays due to disruptions by some elements determined to thwart the investigations.nn nnEvery time the FIFA investigative unit has been set to arrive in Freetown there had been some disruptions or confusion with the latest being the suspension of the SLFA president, Madam Isha Johansen and secretary general Christopher Kamara.nn nnThe match-fixing inquiry includes a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and South Africa in 2008 that ended in a goalless draw.nn nnSince 2014, eleven officials and four players have been suspended by Sierra Leone’s FA pending investigation, with all having denied wrongdoing.nn nnAccording to a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, “the four-man FIFA unit is headed by Jean-Samuel Leuba, a lawyer. He is joined by Michael Emde, Peter Limacher and Paul Scotney, a former detective who has extensive experience of investigating corruption in sport.nn nn“FIFA has established an independent investigation committee to conduct an inquiry into allegations of match-fixing within football in Sierra Leone in general and, in particular, match-fixing within the Sierra Leone FA,” said a FIFA statement.nn nn“The duties of the independent committee are to investigate the allegations and provide a comprehensive report to the FIFA Members Associations Committee in order to allow for an informed decision on the matter.”nn nnThe current Sierra Leone FA executive, with its president Isha Johansen, has long pushed for a match-fixing inquiry to go ahead in addition to other illegal activities, human trafficking and violations of FIFA rules and regulations.nn nnJohansen’s determination to clean up Sierra Leone football and usher in a new era of football development and progress has often been met with stiff resistance.nn nnThe resistance has even led to a boycott of the national league as some teams were convinced not to play under the current SLFA executive, several attempts have also been made to replace the current executive but all were deemed to be in contravention of either SLFA or FIFA statutes.nn nn nnCentral to the investigation is the 2010 World Cup qualifier that ended goalless between South Africa and Sierra Leone in Atteridgeville, South Africa, in June 2008.nn nnFIFA will consider lifting Sierra Leone’s suspension from international football after the corruption case against the country’s FA President Isha Johansen is concluded in court.nn nnEarlier this month, FIFA officials, including Fatma Samoura, met with Johansen and the Sierra Leone government to address the issue.nn nn”FIFA will wait for the completion of the trial before further measures can be considered, including the lifting of the suspension, if deemed appropriate,” said a FIFA statement.nn nnJohansen is facing trial along with Sierra Leone FA (SLFA) General Secretary Christopher Kamara. Both deny the charges.nn nnThe Sierra Leone government sent a high-level delegation, including Vice-president Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, attorney general and Minister of Justice Priscilla Schwartz and Lansana Gberie, Sierra Leone’s ambassador to Switzerland.nn nnFIFA suspended Sierra Leone two weeks ago because of third-party interference in the running of the SLFA, saying that the ban would be lifted once Johansen and Kamara are reinstated.nn nnThe ban came after the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) set aside Johansen and Kamara and handed over control of the SLFA to vice-president Brima Mazola Kamara and assistant secretary general Abdul Rahman Swarray in direct contravention of FIFA statutes.nn nnThe ACC says that under Sierra Leone law, both Johansen and Kamara must vacate their posts until their case on corruption-related charges concludes. But many Sierra Leoneans have questioned the application of the law, which is meant for public entities and public officials when SLFA is an NGO that is affiliated with FIFA, a private entity.nn nnThe alleged corruption charges against Johansen were drastically reduced in court from ten to three, and from four to three for Kamara.nn nnSierra Leone’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana, which were set to be played between 11-14 October, were cancelled and will not be rescheduled because of the suspension.nn nnAs a result Sierra Leone is out of the competition. Other outstanding issues that have led to a long-running dispute within the SLFA were discussed during the Zurich meeting and resolutions were taken.nn nn nn nnThese include a key match-fixing investigation of 15 players and officials who have been indefinitely suspended since 2014, the conduct of integrity tests on elected officials and a roadmap that will lead to the election of new SLFA executive committee.nn
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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