Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has presented an ex gratia payment of Le75,000 to the family of late Bureh Ganso Koroma, fulfilling one of the key recommendations made by an independent Adhoc Committee established to investigate allegations of negligence surrounding his death.
Bureh Ganso Koroma, a former Mighty Blackpool FC player, sustained severe injuries following an on-field collision during a friendly match between Leone Stars and Mighty Blackpool FC in May 2025. His death sparked widespread concern across Sierra Leone’s football community, prompting SLFA’s Executive Committee to commission an independent investigation into circumstances surrounding the incident and allegations of negligence involving officials from a previous administration.
According to SLFA, findings of that investigation included several recommendations aimed at addressing concerns raised by football stakeholders. Among them was financial support for Koroma’s bereaved family. With payment of *Le75,000* now completed, SLFA says it has fulfilled that specific recommendation while continuing to implement measures arising from committee’s report.
Beyond its financial value, payment represents an acknowledgment of responsibility to respond to concerns raised by football stakeholders following one of Sierra Leone’s most tragic sporting incidents in recent years. It also demonstrates an effort to rebuild confidence in governance and welfare standards within domestic football.
Player welfare has increasingly become a central issue in modern football administration. Football associations are expected not only to organise competitions but also to ensure appropriate medical protocols, duty of care and institutional accountability whenever serious injuries occur. For that reason, implementation of committee recommendations will be closely monitored as an indicator of SLFA’s commitment to improving governance and safeguarding players at every level of competition.
In its statement, SLFA extended its condolences once again to Koroma’s family and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and higher standards of care across Sierra Leone football.
While payment cannot erase family’s loss, it marks an important administrative step in implementing recommendations arising from independent investigation. Attention will now turn to broader reforms expected to strengthen player protection, improve emergency response systems and reinforce public confidence in governance of football across Sierra Leone.