When Isha Johansen was elected Sierra Leone Football Association (SFA) president in 2013 she was roundly hailed as the “iron lady” of African football.
She was the first woman in her country to hold the top administrative job and only the second to occupy such a plum position in Africa in the male dominated game.
But five years later, Isha and Chris Camara, SFA’s General Secretary, are facing embezzlement charges and are under immense pressure to vacate office.
On Tuesday, officers from ant-corruption body raided the football headquarters in Freetown at the end of a seven-day deadline to step down.
According to laws of the land any person charged with corruption is required to leave office until such a time his/her name is cleared.
FIFA, the world’s football body, has said they are monitoring the situation.
The Zurich-based organization does not take lightly any political interference in the management of the game.
“FIFA is closely monitoring developments in relation to the Sierra Leone Football Association and plans to provide the FIFA Member Associations Committee with an update on the situation at its upcoming meeting on 26 September 2018,” FIFA spokesman said.
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Apart from being a CAF Executive Committee member, Isha is also a member of the FIFA Member Associations Committee.
Her critics have pointed out that she is using her influence at FIFA to evade scrutiny and cling on to power despite the corruption charges against her.
Since her tenure begun, there has not been any league football in Sierra Leone.
Isha blames “betting cartels” for her woes, accusing them of taking the game hostage and fighting her administration.
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