The Sierra Leone Football Association will investigate Kei Kamara over his alleged defamation of the team’s hotel in Benin ahead of their AFCON qualifier against Nigeria.
Kamara who plays for Minnesota United in the US Major League Soccer, on Thursday took to social media to complain about the discomfort he experienced from sleeping on the mattress and pillow in his room at Lushville hotel, the team’s base.
Kamara, 36, who came of retirement to boost the squad ahead of their clash against Nigeria, said he found it difficult to sleep on the hard bed but the SLFA moved swiftly to condemn such claims and apologise to the hotel management.
The SLFA statement read: “The Sierra Leone Football Association will open an investigation into a viral video posted by the Sierra Leone National Team striker Kei Kamara in which he is seen defaming a hospitality establishment at which the National Team Delegation including the Minister of Sports Ibrahim Nyelenkeh, the Executive Director of the National Sports Authority Dr. Kenneth Brima and the President of Sierra Leone Football Association Madam Isha Johansen are currently residing.
“The SLFA unreservedly apologises to the Management of Lushville Hotel and Suites in Benin City, Edo State, emphasising that the views expressed by Kei Kamara are his individual comments which are strongly condemned by the FA.”
Kamara shared pictures and videos of his conversation with the receptionist; complaining about the pillow around 5.30 on Thursday.
The video which went viral shortly after it got posted summarized thus, “I went to the front desk to talk to the lady about how I can’t sleep,”
“She was so calm and said don’t worry, we will fix everything in the morning. I said I can’t sleep, I have been lying down for two to four hours and again she said, don’t worry, we will fix it in the morning.
“And why can’t I sleep? This bed, these pillows. My head can’t sink in this thing; my head can’t get in this pillow, so my neck hurts. My body can’t get comfortable because this is a box spring, not a mattress.
“I switch to one part, then switch to the other side and she says don’t worry, don’t worry, we will fix everything in the morning. I told her it’s already morning, it’s 5:30, I have practice at 8:00am. She is so calm and I can’t get mad about it because she had this calmness and I haven’t heard all that before.”
The Sierra Leonean national team would be banking on Kamara’s wealth of experience as they seek to cause an upset in today’s AFCON qualifier against the three-time African Champion.
The last time the Leone Stars won against Nigeria was in the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup qualifier in Freetown in April 21, 2001 when Sidique Mansaray’s lone goal sent the entire nation into frenzy.
