But the federation yesterday refuted all claims as false.
One of the complainants is Hawks FC who claimed that since May 1 they had lodged a protest against Bakau United for fielding a player who they claimed belongs to Real de Banjul. “Since that date up till today Friday June 27, the GFF didn’t even have the courtesy of even acknowledging receipt of our letter. We believe that the long period of silence – during which many organising committee meetings and decisions over other matters had been held – is calculated to delay justice in a bid to get our club relegated,” alleged Sadibou Kamaso of Hawks FC.
Hawks further claimed the unusual delay in determining and even responding to their case is suspicious and that they are convinced that the player concerned belong to Real de Banjul and not Bakau United.
When The Standard investigated the matter from Real de Banjul and Bakau United, we discovered that both clubs claimed to own the player and used him for different purposes at the same time.
However, late afternoon Friday, The Standard confirmed from GFF media officer Bakary Baldeh that the federation had written to Hawks dismissing their protest on the grounds that there was no documentary evidence in the GFF showing that the player belonged to Real. “We are even amused that the player played against Real de Banjul itself in the league but they did not raise any issue that he belonged to them and not Bakau United,” Baldeh said.
Meanwhile, in another development, the GFF has delivered a verdict on the abandoned match between Brikama United and Steve Biko. The match was stopped with Brikama United leading by a goal to nil after the outbreak of violence in the Box Bar mini-stadium. However the GFF over the weekend awarded the points to Biko on the grounds that the key reason for the abandonment of the match was caused by the violent behaviour of the Brikama United fans.
On hearing news of the verdict, an outraged Brikama United fan alleged in a chat with The Standard the move was a clear travesty of justice and meant to help Biko avoid relegation. But the GFF media officer Bakary Baldeh rubbished that claim saying: “The decision was based on the report of the referee and the match commissioners both of whom stated clearly what caused the stoppage of the match.”
In another development, an official of newly-crowned champions, Real de Banjul, has said they found it totally strange that since they won the league last week no one from the GFF has even had the courtesy of congratulating them on their title victory. ”Yes, we can understand that they might be waiting until the last match was played and the final table tallied before formally writing or making a public announcement, but professionalism also dictates that someone congratulates us from the very moment we won the league,” he queried.
In response the GFF president, Mustapha Kebbeh said people must focus on important matters rather than on trivial matters. “In any case, we have already written to them congratulating them on their winning of the league at the right time as expected of the GFF as the body responsible for the league.”
]]>
