CAF fines Gambia US$100,000 over Gabon ‘mistreatment’
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Africa's football governing body Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary board has fined Gambia Football Federation (GFF) $100,000 over last month’s poor reception of the Gabonese national football team.
According to statement obtain by PANA in Banjul on Wednesday, a disciplinary board of CAF ruled that Gambia breached loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play” in its reception of the Gabonese team.
In November, Gabonese national football team was left stranded and slept at the Banjul International Airport “for not presenting Covid-19 test results” ahead of a crucial Group D Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against The Gambia.
The Gambian government had set rules a month earlier that visitors would have to present negative Covid tests taken 72 hours before arrival or be quarantined and tested for coronavirus.
According to CAF, the GFF will pay half of the fine which is 2.5 million dalasi ($50,000). The other half is suspended on the condition that the Gambia is not found guilty of a similar offence within two years.
The Gambia is top of Group D, levelled with Gabon on seven points, and with two points ahead of DR Congo and six points ahead of Angola with two matches left.
AFCON 2021, now moved to January 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be hosted by Cameroon.
Meanwhile, CAF’s disciplinary body has also placed a $10,000 dollar (more than half a million dalasi) fine on Gabon’s captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.
-0- PANA MSS/AR 9Dec2020
