Sierra Leone foreign based sprinter Hafsatu Kamara has been left out in the 2019 African Games ongoing in Morocco.
Kamara who was born in the United States of Sierra Leonean parents discovered that her name was not on the official athletes list on Saturday morning after rigorous preparation to join her mates at the Games Village.
Hafsatu stated representing Sierra Leone since 2013.
In 2014, she represented Sierra Leone in the Common Wealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland where she competed in the 100 race with no better performance.
In 2015, she was in Benji, China for the World championship and later competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and was the flag bearer for Sierra Leone in the closing ceremony.
Hafsatu posted on her Facebook page that her name was left out on the athletes list without any explanation from Sierra Leone officials.
“I cried this morning for the lost time, money, opportunities.
I’m not the top ranked in the world, I’m just now running a personal best after six years. I haven’t ran the fastest time in the world but I give my all in each and every opportunity I get to represent Sierra Leone”; she said.
Kamara intimated that since 2013 she has proudly worn Sierra Leone on her chest and entered each track with Sierra Leone next to her name.
“I stopped asking for financial support, unforms or shoes, its not just that my name was left out, it’s that there is no clear explanation as to why. I was led on for days believing I was still competing”.
Vice president of the Sierra Leone Athletes Association Emerick Cole said Hafsatu was not part of the initial names of athletes presented to NOC for submission due to her poor performance in previous competitions but noted her name was later submitted to the chef de Mission Unisa Deen Kargbo for inclusion.
Cole Continued that after Uinsa submitted her name, she was rejected due to late submission.
Unisa told us they (NOC) will try thier best in advocating for the inclusion of Hafsatu’s name in the list when they get to Rabat but that was not achievable”; he concluded.
Hafasatu said that officials from the Ministry of sports and National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone tried thier best to have rectified the situation.
