The representatives of the regional GFA league teams have
once again filed another protest against the Gambia Football Association
Normalisation Committee on their exclusion from football in The Gambia. Below
is the full text of the letter to the GFA.
We write acknowledging the receipt of your reply letter on our protest, and the content noted.
However, your description of our position as false, erroneous and misleading was consumed with a “pinch of salt”.
But we will endeavour to explore and use the best of tones to put our cases across the football spectrum.
We write once again to strongly express our dissatisfaction about emerging issues affecting our football in the region. While we expect the Normalization Committee on Gambian Football to shed light on the deliberate attempts to change specific articles of The Gambia Football
Association’s Constitution, the reply is infested with a catalogue of development initiatives conceived by the Normalization Committee, and it is evident that nothing can be achieved without the participation of the regions.
As an august body responsible for coordinating regional league football, we also noted with great concern the Normalisation Committee’s latest attempt to modify and change the provisions of the following Articles:-
ARTICLE 23 Delegates and Votes
1(A) two delegates from each of the 12 first division national League clubs. Instead of 12, it should be 18 including the 6 Regional First Division teams
23 1(b) two delegates from each of the 10 second division national League clubs. Instead it should be 20 including the 10 second division regional teams
23 1(d) two delegates from each regional league association (clubs?), instead, it should be two delegates from each regional club and not association.
23 1(e) two delegates from each of the six women league clubs. Instead, it should be 12 league clubs including the 6 from the regional Women league clubs.
23.5 members of the Executive Committee and the General Secretary I take part in the general assembly without voting rights. During their term of office, members of the executive committee shall not be
Appointed as delegates for their associations. Instead, members of the executive committee shall be appointed as delegates from their club associations with voting rights.
ARTICLE 11 MEMBERSHIPS
11.1 Following entities shall be eligible for membership to the GFA:-•
1(a) The 12 First Division Clubs. Instead, it should be 18 first division clubs including the 6 first Division clubs from the region
1(b) The 10 second division clubs. Instead, it should be 20 second clubs including the Second Division clubs from the regions
ARTICLE 33 GFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1(e) seven other members who shall represent each of the regional football leagues. Instead, it should read: Seven members of the club representatives from the regions as recommended in the FIFA approved Statues of the Gambia Football Association.
33.5 Candidates for the position of president and vice president of the executive must have a minimum qualification of an advanced diploma in any field of study.
The positions of President and Vice President are not academic functions. And the requirements attached to it is not relevant
Furthermore, your arbitrary attempt to make amendments and changes in the GFA constitution which you claim to align with FIFA standards, records shows that membership of that body is not broad-based.
In fact, part of that assignment has been successfully completed and congress was to decide on the draft approved by FIFA. AII the required inputs suggested by the world football governing body have been drafted in.
However, your Normalisation sub-committee set up to align the constitution with FIFA recommended one is seen to malign the region from both voting and representation.
Attached with is a letter of FIFA approved statutes of Gambia Football Association
With regard to your earlier claim that the regions have not been sidelined from Gambian football, why then has it been conspicuously clear that the FA Cup championship does not include the regions and even talk of them being mentioned.
A competition like the FA Cup provides the platform to expose our regional contingents to the talent shows and exposures forming the basis for the national team selections.
History has associated regions with a lot of success stories in the FA Cup petitions which were NATIONAL as opposed to your new normalisation device of Urbanising Gambian football and further elbowing the regions from the national cake which is for all of us.
Region also noted with apprehension, the abortion of our running Division Regional league shortly before Gambia/Algeria game in February. We are now calling for an unconditional resumption of ourRegional League just as the national league.
Attached with are official fixtures of both regional first division Male and Female as well as the FA Cup.
It must be born in mind that these issues are viewed with utmost seriousness as they form the basis for the future of football in the regions and the country as a whole.
We also wish to remind the general public that the decision to create parallel leagues (National and Regional) is not accidental. The idea was taken based on principles such as inadequate infrastructures for the travelling teams. This example is just next door when teams in the Southern regions of Senegal are scheduled for matches in the North.
While we look forward to your kind response in earnest, we remain
Yours in football
Secretary General
Cc Minister, Youths and Sports
Executive Secretary, NSC
Speaker, National Assembly
Regional Governors
