The High Court of Sierra Leone has issued an injunction preventing the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) from proceeding with its Extraordinary Congress, which was slated for November 30, 2024.
The court’s decision follows a lawsuit filed by some SLFA members alleging a procedural violation in the preparation for the Congress. At the heart of the dispute are Articles 28(1) and 28(2) of the SLFA statutes, which govern the convening of an Extraordinary Congress.
Article 28 mandates that the Executive Committee notify members of the place, date, and agenda of such a Congress at least 30 days in advance. While the SLFA communicated the Congress date, the plaintiffs contend that it failed to specify the venue within the required timeframe, a lapse they argue constitutes a breach of procedural rules.
The planned Congress carried significant agenda items, including adopting new statutes and approving the ethics committee. Article 12 of the SLFA statutes grants members the right to participate in Congress, propose agenda items, and access official information, rights that plaintiffs claim were undermined by the SLFA’s actions.
This legal challenge highlights on-going governance concerns within the SLFA and stresses the need for strict adherence to its constitutional provisions. The court has not yet announced a date for the resolution of the case.
