By Hawa Dauda
Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Professional Players Union, Kelifa Jabbie, has clarified that the union was not established to create division within Sierra Leone football, but to promote unity, provide a platform for professional players and contribute to the development of the game.
Speaking on The Unfiltered Show, Jabbie rejected suggestions that the union represents a breakaway movement within Sierra Leone football.
“We are not breakaway. We are here to create unity, platform and unity in football,” Jabbie said.
According to Jabbie, the union’s focus is on supporting professional players by helping them understand their career paths, roles and responsibilities throughout their football careers.
He said the union will also place emphasis on the mental health and overall wellbeing of players, recognising the pressures and challenges that can come with a professional football career.
Jabbie explained that players need proper guidance and support to make informed decisions about their careers, both while they are actively playing and when preparing for the next stage of their professional lives.
He further stressed that players’ welfare should be a shared responsibility between players, clubs and football stakeholders.
According to the Secretary General, club owners and management have a responsibility to provide a safe and conducive environment that promotes the wellbeing of players and allows them to perform at their best.
He called for greater cooperation between professional players, clubs and football authorities to create a more organised and supportive football environment in Sierra Leone.
Jabbie maintained that the union’s ultimate objective is to build unity within the football community while ensuring that professional players have a collective platform through which their interests, welfare and career development can be addressed.