Kinteh, Kebbeh disqualified from GFF presidency race

“Gambian football has suffered from normalization for two years, and then we came into office for less than a year and now a normalization committee again,” ousted GFF president Mustapha Kebbeh, who expressed doubt in the credibility of the committee, lamented in August 2014.
(Photo Credit: Sang Mendy)

Two former presidents of The Gambia Football Federation, GFF, have had their candidacy disapproved by a Normalisation Committee of the federation on Friday.  
 
Both Seedy M.B. Kinteh and Mustapha Kebbeh were ousted as presidents of the football body in 2012 and 2014 and have seen two normalisation committees setup over the period to spearhead fresh elections.

The Committee claims that Kebbeh, who presided over the country’s two-year ban by the Confederation of African Football, CAF, headed an executive committee that brought “disrepute” to Gambian football.

The Gambia was disqualified from the U-20 Championship for fielding ineligible players after Liberia’s FA protest over Gambia’s use of over-aged players during the first leg of the qualifiers in Monrovia which Gambia won 1-0.

The West African country was further handed a two-year ban over different dates of birth for one of the players identified by Liberia as ineligible.      

Kinteh presided over the glory days of Gambian football

Now, the GFF normalisation committee said Kebbeh is not eligible because he refused to admit wrongdoing and failed to take responsibility over the country’s disqualification and subsequent ban. 

Also, they accused Seedy M.B. Kinteh of having misappropriated GFF funds during his time as president. Kinteh presided over the glory days of Gambian football, overseeing the winning of two African U-17 championships, an appearance at the U-17 World Cup in Peru, Bronze at the African U-20 championship and an appearance at the U-20 World Cup in Canada.

Following his sacking in March 2012, he was briefly detained, accused of financial misappropriation (which he denied) and has never been convicted over those allegations.

Bajo, Danso & Bojang (Photo: The Point)

Meanwhile, candidates Lamin Kabba Bajo, Omar Danso and Buba Bojang have been cleared to contest the September 20 GFF elections.

Written by Modou S. Joof

Follow on Google+

Follow on Twitter: @thenorthbankeve

Follow on Facebook: The North Bank Evening Standard