The Gambia Football Federation has been slapped a $100, 000 fine by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over unsportsmanlike conduct over last month’s Nation’s Cup qualifier against Gabon, APA can report on Wednesday.
A statement by CAF said after investigations into claims that a delegation of the Gabonese national football team were left stranded at the airport in Banjul for more than five hours, its disciplinary committee said the GFF was found culpable.
” The Gambian federation did not comply to the loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play concerning the reception of the Gabonese delegation. The Disciplinary Board decided to impose upon the Gambian federation a fine of 100.000 USD (One Hundred Thousand US Dollars) of which 50.000 USD (Fifty Thousand US Dollars) are suspended on the condition that the federation is not found guilty of a similar offense within a period of twenty-four (24) months” the CAF statement said.
On the other hand, CAF is also imposing a fine on the Gabonese football federation after its investigators concluded that the national team captain Pierre Emerick Emiliano François Aubameyang “publicly published offensive and degrading material that undermines the honor and image of the Confederation of African Football”.
CAF said it is imposing a $10,000 fine “for breach of the values of sportsmanship and integrity on the Gabonese Football Federation for the regrettable behavior of the player”.
Gambia’s reverse fixture against Group D rivals Gabon was overshadowed by an incident at the airport where the visiting Gabonese team spent hours for apparently refusing to comply with Covid-19 emergency regulations.
There was consternation when pictures emerged on social media of some players of the Central African nation lying sprawled on the floor of the airport lobby, apparently taking a nap after they were stopped from leaving for their hotel.
Gabonese captain Aubameyang took to social media, taking a swipe at CAF for over their “mistreatment” in The Gambia. whose football authorities quickly dismissed his claims.
The Gabonese claimed that there were no official delegation from the Gambia Football Federation to receive them at the airport.
However Gambian football authorities said the Gabonese had changed their hour of arrival so many times that they were left unable to confirm when the visiting team would arrive in Banjul for the top-of-the-table clash
Meanwhile hours before kick-off CAF officials emerged from a zoom meeting with Gambian and Gabonese football authorities with a statement announcing that it was opening an investigation into why members of the visiting team were not allowed to proceed to their hotel after touching down at the airport on November 3rd.
Gambia’s health authorities blamed the delay on the Gabonese delegation’s alleged refusal to comply with Covid-19 test regulations at the airport for all travellers entering the country.
The Gabonese said it was “poor gamesmanship by Gambia” to gain a physical and psychological edge over their opponents ahead of the match in Banjul.
Gambia’s Scorpions came out 2-1 winners, returning to the summit of the group on superior goal difference to Gabon.
WN/as/APA