By Desmond Tunde Coker
FREETOWN – Sierra Leone is set to be represented on the global stage at the 5th World Nomad Games in Astana, Kazakhstan, with two mass-wrestling athletes backed by the National Sports Authority (NSA). The athletes, Ansu Bakarr Kamara and a second competitor, will compete alongside two officials, marking a significant moment for Sierra Leone’s presence at this prestigious event.
The games, which feature over 2,000 athletes from 150 countries, will see Kamara open Sierra Leone’s campaign in the 90kg mass-wrestling category against a local Kazakh opponent on Tuesday. This opportunity has been made possible thanks to the efforts of NSA Director General, Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, who has committed to supporting all high-performing sports disciplines in the country.
Ahead of their first match, the NSA, under Dr. Saffa Abdulai’s leadership, has extended its best wishes to the athletes, emphasizing its commitment to promoting and elevating Sierra Leonean sports on the international stage.
This mass-wrestling participation is just one of several recent initiatives backed by the NSA in the past four months. Notably, the National Amputee Football Team returned home with the Fair Play award from the Amputee Football Nations Cup in Cairo, while Sierra Leonean gymnasts captured numerous gold medals at the 2nd Baku Gymnastics Showpiece in Azerbaijan. Additionally, the Roll Ball National Team secured a 4-2 victory over Ivory Coast in Abidjan, another achievement under the NSA’s support.
Dr. Saffa Abdulai’s approach, which prioritizes cross-border performance, strong governance structures, and national identity, has ensured that government investments in sports are yielding tangible results.
The National Sports Authority, established by an Act of Parliament, continues to play a pivotal role in promoting, developing, and supervising all sporting activities across Sierra Leone, further cementing the country’s position in the global sporting arena.