The two-year suspension from all international football imposed on The Gambia by the Confederation of Football in Africa, CAF, has been partially lifted.
This was announced Tuesday by the Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Federation, NC-GFF.
A press release from the NC-GFF added that this development means The Gambia’s national football team can now play international friendly-matches against other African teams, including Morocco, if the arrangements are finalized later in October 2014.
According to the release, the partial ban lifting came in the wake of a recent visit to Algeria by Hon. Alhagie Sillah, chairman of the NC-GFF, where he met senior CAF and FIFA executive committee members.
Hon Sillah also came from the meeting assured of CAF funding to construct a “hotel” at the Centre of Excellence in Yundum.
For the benefit of our readers we reproduce the full text of the release below:
The FIFA-appointed Normalization Committee of the Gambia Football Federation is pleased to announce the partial lifting of the suspension imposed on The Gambia by the CAF Emergency Committee.
These developments came about following the visit of Hon. Alhagie Sillah, Chairman of the Normalization Committee, to Algeria where he met senior CAF and FIFA Executive Members.
The meeting accorded the Chairman the opportunity to discuss with CAF officials the situation surrounding the Normalization Committee and their task.
Hon. Sillah was also assured of CAF’s support and was advised to submit a funding proposal for the construction of additional hotel facilities at the Centre of Excellence at Yundum. This new state-of- the-earth design proposal will be presented to CAF officials by the Chairman when he travels to Ethiopia next month for the CAF meeting.
The lifting will also accord the Gambia National Team to play an international friendly match against other African teams including Morocco, if the arrangements are finalized later in October.
This is in line with CAF’s determination to effect minimum disruption in all football-related activities in the country.
The Normalization Committee wants to assure the stakeholders in football that they will do whatever it takes to help with the resumption of normal football in The Gambia, and continues to count on their support for the completion of the task that is given to them by FIFA.
Once again, we wish to express our profound and sincere appreciation for the role of FIFA and CAF in the development of football in The Gambia.
