The Gambia Football Players Association alleged that the Lamin Kaba Bajo camp is witch-hunting the association following the non-inclusion and payment of subvention to the association.
In a historical landmark, the federation published and made available funds paid to clubs and allied associations. This came following the backlash against lack of transparency and accountability.
One unhappy stakeholder is the Gambia Players Association. The association has been sidelined from FA programmes and initiatives despite being given a space at the football house. Their cry to be included in the Players Status Committee felt to deaf players.
The relationship turned sour after the re-election of Lamin Kaba Bajo. The campaign manager of Kaba Must Stay, Willy Abraham, approached the players association and hosted them in his premises at the Oasis facility. Where he urged the association to tell him their challenges and that he would relay the message to President Kaba, in between the minutes of the meeting were leaked to the public, leading Willy Abramham to withdraw from the mediator role between the association and the FA.
Until publication, the Federation has yet to reply to the accusation of the players association.
Regarding this shocking marginalisation, both the Vice President and PRO spoke to the Alkamba Times.
“It’s a question mark; I can’t understand why you subvent everyone and all other allied associations, then you exclude the player association. Is it because, like, maybe during the previous elections we didn’t relay behind you? Is that maybe a reason or issue that you haven’t voiced out and the association isn’t aware of? To me, this has given a clear message: maybe the player association is not recommended by the GFA, and we are affiliated with them. According to FIFA, all federations should have player associations, and then our funds are under FIFA funds. Therefore, we should be subvented like other allied associations. In conclusion, I see it as a political motive and a political witch hunt.” Pap Sarr emphasized
According to the association PRO Abdoulie Bass, the federation is sabotaging the role of the players association after they came to understand that we didn’t vote for them. Threats were heard from them, and this makes the whole matter very unprofessional and unconstitutional.
* They want us to be frustrated. We are aware they took our members to AFCON and the match in Thies, which were all politically motivated. They are only dealing with people dancing to their tunes, and because we made it clear that we would only rally behind those who wanted to work, I became a target.” He stressed
Without the FA subvention, we cannot work because our last correspondence to them was that we intended to do player outreach in other parts of the country. Their reply came late, and it was accompanied by all vehicles being occupied currently. We can’t only reach out in the Kombos; we are also serving people in Basse, JangJang Bureh etc etc.”
“We are strong together, and we are aware that the federation has tried on several occasions to call individuals from the association to give them positions or recommend certain members of the association. Even if someone didn’t vote for you, when development comes, they should see themselves there. We are not having help because we didn’t vote for them, and that’s unprofessional. We have the right to associate with anyone.”
“The media has been told this will be the second-highest case to be presented to FIFA from the Gambia following the failures of the football project. The football players association is understood to have contacted lawyers in the Gambia and is ready to open their case with FIFA in the coming weeks.” He added
