John Keister and two others have been suspended by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), ‘Indefinitely’ after a leaked audio recording emerged a few weeks ago.
In the recording, voices purported to allegedly be that of the Leone Stars suspended coach Keister, Prince Tamba Moses- Technical Officer and Alusine Kabba- Logistics Officer all three but mainly Keister and Kabba expressing their dismay over the FA boss.
Keister’s reign in charge of Sierra Leone has been halted despite guiding Leone Stars to a 2-1 home victory over Kenya in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifying tie in Freetown June 10.
He lost his first international friendly against Liberia Lone Stars in Liberia ahead of the Afcon qualifier opener.
The FA has issued a statement today amid series of controversies surrounding what happens next as the Isha Johansen’s mandate expire today August 3, 2017.
The FA stating that, “Following the recent audio making the rounds in which some officials of the Sierra Leone Football Association attempted to bring the name of the SLFA into disrepute, the management of the Football Association has given an Indefinite Suspension to the services, as employees, of the individuals who were found engaged in the malicious discussions in the said audio.
“The suspended officials are John Keister- Head Coach Leone Stars, Prince Tamba Moses- Technical Officer and Alusine Kabba- Logistics Officer.
“These officials were found guilty of gross misconduct by bringing the name of the institution into disrepute and the action against them by management is in accordance with Art. 26 of Sierra Football Association’s Conditions of Service.
“The SLFA management will subsequently inform the suspended officials with regards development on their employment status.”
The Manchester-born, Keister, started his career at Tigres in 1992 before moving to England in 1993.
Prior to his suspension Keister, who was appointed as the new technical head of Leone Stars in May replacing Sellas Tetteh was forced to apologise over the said leaked audio.
He stated in his apology, “On 12th July 2017, an audio clip in which I spoke on some issues was widely circulated and went viral, globally.
“I am very sorry with apologies and will like to categorically state that, the discussion was entirely private and meant for just four of us, who were in my vehicle which was in motion.
“It was not deliberate and never intended to smear, defamed; castigate anybody’s hard won reputation or character. It was either premeditated or had any semblance of conspiracy against anybody or an organisation, agency or country.”
“I must express my utter disappointment and frustration over the recording of my discussion without my approved consent,” Keister regretfully stated
The former Sierra Leone international has played for Walsall, Chester City, Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage Borough, Margate and Dover Athletic where he was captain before returning to previous club Margate on a free transfer in September 2009.
Contact the writer bi****@ol*.net @bittar32 – @football_sierra
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