Vertex Media: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 12 August 2022:
Trailblazing Sierra Leonean female football administrator – FIFA Council Member and CAF Executive Committee Member, Madam Isha Johansen has attained new heights in the corridors of global football administration and governance, as she was elected to the Fifa Foundation Board today during a virtually FIFA meeting.
Established in March 2018, the FIFA Foundation was created as an independent entity with the objectives to help promote positive social change around the world and raise support for the recovery and reconstruction of damaged or destroyed sports infrastructure worldwide.
As part of its social responsibility, the FIFA Foundation runs the following programmes and activities:
- Foundation Community Programme
- Recovery Programme
- FIFA Legends Programme
- Football for Schools Programme
- Campus Programme
- Refugee Programme
- Employee Volunteer Programme
Madam Johansen will now be part of planning and steering the programmes of the Foundation, the first Sierra Leonean to the Fifa Foundation Board.
The former SLFA President is currently serving in various committees in FIFA and CAF, including the following:
– Member, FIFA Council
– Member, CAF Executive Committee
– Vice Chairman, CAF Women’s Organizing Committee
– Member, Fifa Foundation Board
Isha Johansen has evolved into becoming arguably one of Africa’s most impressive and respected football administrators, spanning her 18 years in football administration. Her football career journey has attracted more high profile international media interest than any other African football administrator.
On Wednesday 27 July 2022, the Fifa Foundation Board met virtually to discuss the 2021 Activity Report, with the participation of all members of the Foundation, including Gianni Infantino – who doubles as FIFA President and President of the FIFA Foundation Board, and Mauricio Macri – Executive Chairman of the FIFA Foundation.
The election of members of the FIFA Foundation Board was on the agenda, which ushers in Isha Johansen as the newly elected member of the Foundation, replacing the outgoing Lydia Nsekera from Burundi. Gianni Infantino and Sonia Fulford were also re-elected for a new term.
The Fifa Foundation Board Members are:
- President of Fifa Foundation Board – Gianni Infantino, Fifa President.
- Executive Chairman of the Board – Mauricio Macri, (former Argentina Football Federation President).
- Board Member – Isha Johansen, a Fifa Council Member, CAF Executive Committee Member and former Sierra Leone FA President.
- Board Member – Sonia Fulton, a Fifa Council Member & Caucus and Turks FA President.
The foundation is an embodiment of the founding principles on which FC Johansen was formed eighteen years ago in Sierra Leone. Humanity Through Football was the driving motive behind Madam Johansen combining football and education for underprivileged kids, which eventually saw the young players representing Sierra Leone in global International youth competitions as well as hosting them in Sierra Leone. Rebranding Sierra Leone’s image through football after years of brutal civil war was the passionate goal for Isha Johansen.
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Congratulations to Ms Isha Johansen.Despite all the uphill struggle she faced during her time in the pressure cooker of the Footballing world in Sierra Leone , with this appointment in the Fifa board , She have once again proved to her detractors she is not only a woman of her time, but a woman of all times that young girls can look up to and try and emulate and dream to become masters of their own destiny. With out worrying about what envious Sierra leonean men think of her .She have exceled where others would have thrown in the towel and succumbed to the misogynist and character assassination she suffered when she was embroiled into who blink first fight with the Sierra Leone Football Association .Indeed the Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the board of world football governing body have never shied away from giving her their full throated supportt against what they saw as the unfair treatment the Sierra leoneans government ministers that tried whipped her into shape and tried to weaponise football for their own selfish ends .
This appointment of Ms Johansen, should be seen as an own goal by our ministers and our country that never appreciate ,or make use of internationally renowned Sierra leonean nationals that is out their contributing to the advancement of humanity , but due to unfathomable reasons denied that right in their own country of birth .It says a lot about our country when you have people with international name recognition that can do so much for our counyry’s development, but due to tribalism and nepotism can’t make that leap of faith because our country’s political leadership felt they are not good enough .
The sooner you raise your head above the parapet and want to do good for our country ,you are either pigeon holed ,or given a name tag that fits their agenda. The Sierra leonan gravity of pull down syndrome is automatically activated .The only default available to Sierra Leoneans that have no hope in hell to defeat you in your own game .And unfortunately their are plenty of us. Especially members of the Bio government .Is like they are always seeking Bio’s political opponents to cut down to size .Ms Johansen, Dr Bylden , Rt Major PaoloConteh , Mayor Akin Sawyer , Dr Yumkellah , Zianab Bangura , Dr Bright , Dr Femi Cole and many others like them in the daispora .