The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone will not take part in this year's Amilcar Cabral Cup due to start in Bamako tomorrow.

The official reason given in Freetown is a lack of money to fund the team.

Both the Government and the FA say they cannot afford to send the team to Mali.

Critics in Sierra Leone say the Government should take full responsibility for the embarrassment, which comes the day before the tournament is due to start.

Sierra Leone should have played reigning champions Cape Verde on Sunday.

The Sports Ministry and the FA are known to be having a battle over finances at present, which has compounded problems.

The organisers of the Amilcar Cabral Cup have not yet announced how they will resturcture the tournament to cope with Sierra Leones withdrawal.

Revised fixtures

5 November:

Segou: Mauritania - Benin Mali - Guinea Bissau Sikasso: Senegal - Cape Verde

7 November

Segou: Guinea Bissau - Mauritania Mali - Benin Sikasso: Gambia - Cape Verde

9 November

Segou: Winner of Segou Pool vs 2nd from Sikasso Pool

Sikasso: Winner of Sikasso Pool vs 2nd from Segou Pool

11 November:

Losers of semi-finals clash

Winners of semi-finals clash