By: Sulayman Bah
Interior Football Club have dragged Gambia Football Federation to the National Sports Council appealing their relegation to the country’s third tier.
The police outfit are exasperated over being deducted of three points by the Gambia Football Federation league Organising Committee (OC), a move that has condemned them to the third division.
The decision to forfeit Interior of the spoils followed their game against Young African April 13th, 2017 in which they are alleged to have fielded an ineligible player in Baboucarr Cham.
Young Africans filed an appeal over the case to the federation who in turn found Interior culpable of using Cham said to be contracted to Young Africans.
As a result, Baboucarr’s contract situation became a subject intense debate with Interior contesting the rationale behind the league organising committee’s decision.
GFF’s rules allow a 24hours grace period regarding appeals to be filed over a given match.
In dossiers obtained by Foroyaa Sport detailing correspondences between the GFF and Interior on the matter, shows the federation admitting to not heeding to the stipulated 24hours period regarding appeals, instead notifying Interior over Young Africans’ complaint, thirteen (13) days later.
On this basis, the Police outfit are insisting the case shouldn’t have been heard by the GFF giving notification only reached them 13 days following expiry of the appeal period.
Interior perceives this as Football House’s contravention of its own rules but have seen two attempts to challenge the verdict with particular emphasis on this point turned down by the disciplinary committee.
The player in question Cham, who it’s being claimed played for Gambia Ports Authority and Banjul United at one point, is understood to be in Senegal this moment.
Blasting the OC’s verdict, Interior claim, decision was reached without the player being interviewed over which side he’s contracted to, alleging no evidence was also presented by the federation supporting their judgment.
Should the decision continue to be upheld and the new league starts, it will mean the police outfit will have to contend with getting relegated to the third tier.
Consequently, Interior have dragged the Football federation to the National Sports Council through a complaint lodged for investigation.
Football boss, Kabba Bajo, also chairman of the organising league committee, declined to comment when reached by Foroyaa Sport saying: ‘we’re waiting for the council’s decision now.’
The Council’s Marcel Mendy acknowledged receiving a complaint from Interior but promised probing will be done on the case.
