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| Sports Minister Jammeh |
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| Lamin Kaba Bajo |
The disqualification of the two officials is a deliberate, arbitrary and capricious act which should be rescinded. A protest note has been filed with FIFA to this effect.
The Minister of Sports, using government-dominated members of the Sports Council, has not only decimated Gambia's sports administrative infrastructure but he has succeeded in demoralizing many of those who made Gambian football what it used to be until the dictatorship started meddling into sports.
In disqualifying Messrs. Kebbeh and Kinteh, the Normalization Committee claimed that they had the full endorsement of FIFA, a claim that is highly suspect because there is no basis for the elimination of Mustapha Kebbeh from the list of candidates for the position.
Lamin Kaba Bajo is unqualified to run Gambian football because he has no idea about the game. He has never been a footballer nor officiated the game, or even a keen observer of the game.
More seriously, Mr. Kaba Bajo has twice lied on his application by claiming that he was nominated by the two Brikama-based clubs Bombada and Brikama United Football clubs, and that he was vice president of Bombada Football Club. Both clubs have come out to deny both claims.
Lying about one's qualification is sufficient to disqualify him as an unworthy candidate for the top footballing position. In fact, he deserves a more severe penalty for such dishonest behavior.
Barring FIFA's intervention, all other candidates should drop out of the race. Participating in such a sham election only lends legitimacy to an otherwise flawed nomination process. It also encourages future meddling in the game by government officials who have amply and repeatedly demonstrated their absolute and total uselessness about the game.
