By Mark Baber
September 23 – Former Gambian sports minister Modou Lamin Kabba Bajo has won elections for president of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) opening the way for a lifting of suspension of the country from international football.
The Gambia was suspended for two years, for deliberately falsifying players’ ages, FIFA sacked the previous executive administration and a normalisation committee was put in place to run elections for a new GFF board.
Kabba Bajo secured 28 votes from the 51 available whilst his opponent Buba Mbye Bojang got 23 votes. Abdoulie Jallow, Ebou Faye and Martin Gomez won positions as GFF vice presidents.
After the votes were counted, Bajo declared that “henceforth, camp and disunity in football is dead and buried.”
Bajo stood on a platform of developing a coherent football calendar; encouraging grassroots football and strengthening strong regional football associations.
In his remarks Bajo emphasised the importance of women’s football, saying: “Let us not forget about our sisters who are with us together in this game. They are our indispensable partners and, therefore, much attention will be given to the development and promotion of women’s football.”
According to Bajo the outlook for football in Gambia is bright, “The goodwill is there, and we have seen what government has been doing and I am privileged to have served in the past as Minister of Youth and Sports, and know what it means; but with renewed partnership with government and all other stakeholders, both local and international, I am confident the future is very bright for Gambian football because we have the skills.”
The lifting of the ban on The Gambia will be discussed at FIFA’s Executive Committee meeting this week.
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