Suspension of GFF officials lifted

The GFF executive will now work with the five-member “rectification” committee set up by the NS, and move towards the next GFF annual general meeting.

NSC executive director Abdul Aziz Tiato Mendy and GFF president Mustapha Kebbeh briefed the media on Saturday May 24, at a joint press conference held at the Independence Stadium board-room.

Mendy said among the reasons to lift the suspension is the need to restore national pride, and work hand-in-hand with the GFF on the appeal process for CAF to lift the two-year suspension from all competitions imposed on the country.

The head of the NSC announced that the Sports Council has been engaging the GFF on issues surrounding the national football saga, and they have been closely consulting to ensure that ‘the pride that we want to lose as a nation is restored.’

“We have agreed to lift the sanctions or suspension we have pronounced on the GFF executive members,” he further revealed, and added that they will now engage CAF and FIFA for the sanctions imposed on The Gambia to be lifted.

“We are still engaging each other - we are not pronouncing a blame game,” he went on, and that they are looking at things as a nation, and working out how Gambia would return to CAF and FIFA competitions.

“The idea is looking at the footballers who are more affected by this,” he continued, and declared: “We want to ensure Gambia gets its glory and pride back.”

GFF president Mustapha Kebbeh thanked President Yahya Jammeh “for his foresight, kind heart and his support towards the development of sports in general and football in particular.”

“The GFF is working and will continue to work with the NSC and government in ensuring that the appeal process we have launched with CAF, for the suspension of The Gambia, has been lifted on the nation.

“We are all resolved to make sure that the nation is taken out of the state that it currently found itself in.

“In our quest to make sure that The Gambia’s flag flies high”, our engagement has been very fruitful,” Kebbeh further stated.

“We have nothing but to thank the government for their foresight, leadership and commitment towards supporting the development of our dear young people,” the GFF official also said.

Going forward, Kebbeh announced, they will work with the five-member “rectification” committee set up by the NSA towards the next GFF annual general meeting.

“We would like to thank all of you and encourage you. As we proceed in this we will be coming back to all of you with the details of what we have been engage on so far, and what are some of the directions we are taking as a team,” he said.

“Thank you very much for your commitment in sports in general and football in particular.”

They stand in solidarity and see The Gambia as “bigger than all of us,” adding that the development of football in The Gambia is their collective aim.

“The appeal was already submitted to CAF on time, we have respected all the procedures and CAF have now given the go for us to engage and proceed with the appeal process,” Kebbeh told the news media.