Letter of protest for the expulsion of regions from participating in Gambian football

Sports representatives of GFA Regional 1st and 2nd division clubs have written a protest letter to the Gambia Football Association Normalization Committee signed by member clubs from both leagues for “their expulsion from Gambian football.”

Below is the full text of the letter:

The regional football clubs of the 1st and 2nd divisions of the regional leagues wish to write and protest in the strongest possible terms against your committee’s decision to expel us from participating in any decision making in Gambian football.

We wish to register as well our heartfelt disappointment for not receiving any either verbal or official communication from your committee since its inauguration into office.

The regional leagues were already in progress for this season both the male and female 1st division leagues and were brought to a halt after the dissolution of the then executive.

We were expecting a communication from your committee for the continuation of these leagues but up till now, we have not heard from you and your executive while the greater Banjul leagues have resumed and are in progress.

Your normalization committee’s decision to amend Article 10 “ Admission” Article 22 “ Delegates and votes” and article 33 “ GFA Executive Committee composition” of your  draft constitution which is currently under review has signified that you have a hidden and an absolute ill feeling for regional clubs participating in Gambian football.

The amendment in these three articles has expelled regional clubs completely from Gambia football whereby we shall not be part of any congress nor shall we have voting right or hold any position in Gambian Football.

Article 10, 22 and 33 of your draft Constitution reads as thus:

Article 10 Admission

1-Members of the GFA shall be made up of

2-a. the 12 first division clubs

b. the 10 seconds division clubs

c. The 6 women’s league clubs

d. the referees Association

e. the Coaches Association

Article 22 delegates and votes

22.1 The General Assembly is composed of 60 delegates among which 30 voting delegates, which shall be the supreme organ of the GFA and which shall consist of:

a. Two delegates for each of the 12 first Division clubs (one vote per club)

b. Two delegates for each of the 10 second division clubs (one vote per club)

c. Two delegates for each of the 6 women’s leagues club (one vote per club)

d. Two delegates for the referees Association (one vote)

e. Two delegates for the coaches Association (one vote)

Articles 33 GFA Executive committee Competitions

33.1 The GFA shall be governed by an executive committee consisting of 11 members

a.The President

b.The first Vice President

c.The Second Vice President

d.The Third Vice President

e.Seven members ( one of whom shall be a woman)

All these three articles have not said anything about regional involvement or participation in Gambian football.

We the regional clubs wish to bring to your attention that we have been involved in Gambian football since its inception and it was through our overwhelming support that the following presidents and their executives were voted into office:

Mr OB Conateh – from 1993-2001

Mr Gabbi Sosseh- from 2001 to 2004

Mr Omar Sey Interim President from 2004 to 2005

Mr Seedy Kinteh from 2005 to 2012

We wish to remind you and your committee that this association is “Gambia Football Association and not Greater Banjul Football Association”; so we are with the belief and conviction that we have a say in Gambian football and has a part to play.

In the light of the foregoing, we are hereby calling on your committee to revisit article 10, 22 and 33 and restore the region’s full involvement, participation and decision-making in Gambian football.

We are also calling on your committee to take the full responsibility to make sure our leagues resume unconditionally as soonest and ensure its successful completion as it has been happening all the previous seasons.

We hope that you take full responsibilities for this calamity that is just about to happen and put it all straight for the benefit and betterment of all Gambians and football lovers across the country.