The Gambia will not take part in the qualifiers of the second edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for local based-players, billed for Sudan in 2011, which is set to kick-off this weekend across the continent.
According to Seedy MB Kinteh, the President of the Gambia Football Association (GFA), The Gambia had failed to participate in the 2nd edition of 2011 CHAN qualifiers in time, due to the fact that the team has put up an unsporting behaviour during the 2009 qualifiers of the first edition against Mauritania.
In the 2009 qualifiers of the maiden edition held in Cote d'Ivory, The Gambia laid a 1-1 and goaless draw in Banjul and Mauritania, respectively.
During the away goaless match in Mauritania which resulted in the team's elimination, he said, two of The Gambia's players were sent off, resulting in an attack of the referee at the end of the match for 'poor refereeing' under the watchful eyes of the match commissioner.
The match commissioner's report to the CAF concerning the misconduct of the team resulting in CAF imposing a fine of about eleven thousand dollars to the Gambian side.
"Base on this, the FA wrote a petition letter to CAF, who levied the fine on the team but then it was too late to set up a team for the 2011 qualifiers," he stated.
He announced that The Gambia will participate in the 2013 CHAN qualifiers, dismissing rumours that the team has been ban.
The coming weekend will see teams vying to take part in the second edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) to take place in Sudan. Fifteen other nations will join the host during the finals of the competition.
The competition has also witnessed some changes, compared to the inaugural edition which was held in 2009 in Ivory Coast. CAF the governing body decided to move to 16 the number of teams taking part in the final phase, instead of the initial 8 during the maiden edition.
