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13:41 GMT, Saturday, 19 April 2008 14:41 UK

Sierra Leone name neutral venue

By Mohammed Fajah Barrie
BBC Sport, Freetown

Freetown stadium

Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has chosen Liberia as its alternative home venue for the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches.

The SLFA named the Samuel Doe Stadium as its potential neutral venue to meet a deadline of 18 April set by Fifa.

"We have named the Liberia Stadium in line with Fifa's request," Alimu Bah secretary general of the SLFA said.

Fifa asked the country to name another venue in case repairs of the Freetown Stadium are not completed in time.

The game's governing body banned the arena last month because of sub-standard dressing rooms and a poor playing surface.

Fifa will send a final inspection team to visit the stadium in Freetown in early May before deciding whether the Leone Stars can play at home or not.

But Bah is confident that the work at the stadium will be completed in time for Fifa's final inspection.

"I'm confident everything will be in place before the Fifa's final inspection and we'll play our home matches in Freetown," he said.

"We won't deprive Sierra Leoneans the opportunity of seeing our darling Leone Stars play at home."

The Leone Stars are due to host Nigeria on 7 June and will also play South Africa and Equatorial Guinea.

This is not the first time Fifa has banned the national stadium in Sierra Leone.

In 1992, the venue was suspended for one year due to overcrowding.

The Leone Stars had to use the 28th September Stadium in neighbouring Guinea to play host to Senegal and Togo in qualifiers for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.




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Related to this story:

Fifa gives Sierra Leone more time (08 Apr 08 |  African )
Fifa bans Sierra Leone stadium (26 Mar 08 |  African )
DRC stadium facing Fifa ban (29 Mar 08 |  African )
Guinea face Fifa stadium ban (08 Apr 08 |  African )
Sierra Leone progress in World Cup (17 Nov 07 |  African )
2010 World Cup Qualifiers (27 Mar 08 |  African )

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