The newly-installed Gambia football executive committee has summoned the Super Nawetan organising committee, the body that organises the popular zonal football championship since it was sub-contracted to them by the GFF two years ago, to a meeting this afternoon.
The meeting came at a time when the GFF issued a calendar announcing that this year’s edition will begin on 2 November, a little over two weeks time.
A source in the committee told The Standard that today’s meeting will certainly center on the future of the tournament and the proposed date of its starting among other topics.
Our source also intimated that there has been concern in some areas that the date for the tournament proposed by the GFF in its first-ever football calendar is too prompt as most zones are not even half way into their regular nawettan programme.
Another source said there is a likelihood that the composition of the committee could change, because the current second vice president of the GFF is secretary to the committee and may have to give up that responsibility. New faces are expected too from some of the zones with changed executive members. And worse still, though unlikely, the GFF may take the tourney from the committee.
All the 12 GFF recognised nawettan zones are represented in the committee chaired by Lamin Camara, the president of the Gambia Referees Association who come from Lamin village. The Super Nawettan is perhaps the most popular football championship attracting a huge following across communities in the Greater Banjul Area and beyond. It has a history stretching over two decades and is often cited as a model for a future national football league. However, it is often associated with violence causing concern for the organisers and the GFF as the parent body. Last year, a spiral of violence led to the sanctioning of several zones and a temporary suspension of the championship.
Ebou Faye, the newly-elected second vice president of the GFF confirmed the meeting will surely discuss the new calendar as the GFF is keen on implementing this new phenomenon in Gambian football. He declined to give further details or comments on the future of the competition or its organisng committee, only saying: “What happens next depends on the outcome of the meeting this afternoon.”
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