Presidential candidate for the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE), Prince Vandy Sualley, has received a boost in his bid to become the new President of the NOC-SLE with just a day to go to the polls.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Sualley will contest for the presidency to replace Dr Patrick Coker, who is leaving his role after two terms in charge.
With the election set for Saturday 10 December 2022, Sualley has been getting the support and backing of his colleague’s Presidents.
Since he takes the lead by officially outlining his five (5) point plan as his strategy towards his presidential plans and his pathways for the NOC-SLE, the Sierra Leone Wrestling Association President has had so much of a boast in his run-up to the elections.
Key and paramount to his plans is to improve and diversify the revenue stream of the NOC-SLE by establishing partnerships and sponsorship with the private sector and other potential partners.
He said: “I would be focusing on regulatory reforms and compliance with global best practices in sports governance, with the provision of facilities to be able to identify talents and develop future Sierra Leonean Olympians who can make a difference for us in international competitions.”
“Also, we must not forget about that fact that winning medals in all disciplines is a priority but also we must focus on retention of our elite athletes beyond international competitions and bridging the gender gap by promoting female leadership in Olympic sports,” the Presidential hopeful said adding that his leadership will come with commitment, experience and the values of Olympism.
Sualley who is the outgoing Treasurer of the NOC-SLE has enjoyed good sports administrative run with the Sierra Leone Wrestling Association at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. His Association was named as the best performing Sierra Leone sport with five of his wrestlers making a great impact in the competition with two of them losing a semifinal fight and one missed out on a bronze medal battle.
In 2019 at the African Championship in Tunisia, his wrestler Sheku Kassegbama won a bronze medal and in 2018 at the ECOWAS traditional wrestling in Niger, Sierra Leone returned home with silver medals thanks to Mohamed Bundu.
Again, in 2018 Sierra Leone’s only medal at the Youth African Games came from wrestler Mariama Jalloh who won the bronze medal whiles Foday Kargbo won also the scoop bronze at the African Championships the same year.
Another biggest success in his leadership as President of the Sierra Leone Wrestling Association came when three Sierra Leone wrestlers fought at the rampage round only to lose all three of their bronze medals fights.
The experience administration believes Sports administrator runs in his blood, observing its operational nuances since childhood coupled with his own leadership experience over the past decade has enabled him to accumulate unrivalled expertise in Olympic sports.
He said: “I believe the time is right for my leadership at the helm of the NOC-SLE, the last time the membership did admit that and my time working as the Treasure was also a learning curve and I am no more a stranger within the Olympic administration as I am coming as President with experience and commitment to take the NOC-SLE and sports development to another level.”
