By Ishmael Zay-Bangura
Freetown, 14th September, 2026 — Former President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Thomas Daddy Brima, has said that he still considers himself the legitimate head of the country’s football governing body, despite being disqualified from seeking re-election and facing legal challenge before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Brima made the statement on Truth Media’s Morning Devotion programme on 11th September, 2026.
The claim comes more than a year after Brima was barred from contesting the SLFA presidential election on 2nd August, 2025.
The SLFA Ethics Committee disqualified him on 18th July, 2025, over allegations of passport forgery and document falsification, citing multiple passports bearing conflicting dates of birth. A formal complaint from the Kono District Football Association also accused Brima of misappropriation of funds and forgery of official documents.
The committee subsequently handed him a one-year ban from all football-related activities and levied a fine of NLe 5,000. Brima denied any wrongdoing. He and his fellow disqualified candidate, Aminata Bangura, filed a joint petition with CAS, arguing that the disqualification was based on “baseless and unfounded accusations” and violated key provisions of the SLFA Statutes, CAF regulations, and the FIFA Code of Ethics.
He also attempted to suspend the electoral process through the Acting Secretary General, citing “violations” of the SLFA Statutes and Electoral Code. The High Court of Sierra Leone dismissed his injunction application on 29th July, 2025, ordered him and Bangura to pay costs.
In a separate CAS proceeding, Bangura was cleared to contest the presidency on 31 July 2025, but Brima remained disqualified. The election went ahead on 2nd August, 2025, with Babadi Kamara, who was widely regarded as Brima’s main rival, winning 43 of 55 delegate votes, with Bangura scored 11.
The poll was monitored by FIFA, WAFU Zone A, the Ministry of Sports, and the National Sports Authority. Both FIFA and CAF later issued formal congratulations to Kamara, effectively recognising the legitimacy of his presidency.
Despite the election’s outcome, Brima has continued to challenge the process. Speaking on Truth Morning Devotion in September 2025, he branded the elections a “rogue stage-managed concert” and accused organisers of orchestrating a flawed event. He stated he was “disrespected and betrayed” but stopped short of vilifying Kamara personally, saying: “Babadi Kamara cannot be my enemy.”
As of September 2026, Babadi Kamara remains the internationally recognised SLFA President, having led Sierra Leone’s participation in FIFA Forward 4.0 consultations, concluded a WAFU-A medical workshop in Freetown, and been elected as WAFU-A first vice president.
Brima, meanwhile, continues to reject the Transition Committee report that cited financial and administrative lapses during his tenure, including the disappearance of a government grant worth NLe 720 million. He argued that he was never consulted during the inquiry.
The former president’s insistence on his legitimacy despite the absence of a favourable CAS ruling underscores the unresolved tensions within the country’s football governance.
