According to the GFF, its delegation led by President Mustapha Kebbeh travelled to Brazil based on the genuine desire of Gambian football stakeholders and that it was they who facilitated the online visa arrangements of the MOYS delegation.
Also, while in Brazil, said the GFF, President Kebbeh’s delegation received and introduced the MOYS delegation to the various Caf and Fifa officials which accorded both the GFF and MOYS a forum to discuss with Caf The Gambia’s suspension from all categories of continental football.
At this meeting, the GFF went on, all the facts were presented to Caf and to President Issa Hayatou who assured the Gambian officials of his utmost to help The Gambia out of the two year continental suspension.
The GFF said after presenting all the facts to Caf, the body agreed that the case was an administrative data entry error that occurred in 2012 when a typographical error was made by the GFA secretariat when entering the data of player Ali Sowe (a player of Gamtel FC) in 2012 for Caf Confederation Cup competition. It was therefore accepted that The Gambia did not in any way deliberately falsify any age of players.
The statement further stated that Hayatou advised the Gambian officials on appropriate steps to follow as a sequence to the possible lifting of the suspension which the GFF is continuously working on.
The GFF also said despite the suspension from Caf, the Gambian federation is still very much part of the global football family and continuous to enjoy the co-operation and support of Fifa.
”A clear testimony of this cooperation is the recent financial assistance approved for the GFF by Fifa totalling some D30 million for football development programmes in The Gambia in addition to the previous funding approved. This funding was negotiated by President Mustapha Kebbeh during his earlier meeting with Fifa officials in South Africa.”
The GFF said they are also closely working with Caf who have asked them to submit a funding request for approval of D6 million also for football development in addition to the ongoing technical assistance programme.
“All these signify that The Gambia is still a recognised partner in continental and world football programmes,” the statement said.
“Based on the appropriate steps forwarded above to Caf and in cognisance of its crucial role in football development in The Gambia, the GFF is positively hopeful that the sanction would be lifted as strongly promised by caf and personally supported by President Issa Hayatou who thanked Mustapha Kebbeh for his genuine interest in Gambia’s football advancement and further advised him to continue the love he has for African football,” the statement concluded.
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