Its 96 hours before the finals of the Late Alhaji Omar Sey Memorial Football Tournament when Real de Banjul entertains Marimoo on Saturday 6th July 2019 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. The match will kick off at 8pm local time.
Ahead of the much anticipated final, The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) is winding up its logistical preparations ahead of what many described as a Super Saturday. The GFF have throughout the week received commendation from every corner of the country for remembering a legend who lived his life for the service of the people and his dedication, commitment and selflessness to his people is second to none.
Mr. Sey lived and died a football man through and through. His surgeon in football administration started in 1970 when he was appointed as the Secretary General of The Gambia Football Association (GFA) then for seven years until 1977. He was at this time also a FIFA referee badge holder from 1970 to 1977 where he eventually was elected into the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1976, been the first Gambian to reach such a feat at continental level. Mr. Sey was later elected as Chairman of the CAF Refereeing Committee in 1976 and served until 1990, leaving a legacy for others who followed after him. He had served many years as a panel member in the CAF referees panel as an instructor
The late baron continued his pursuits and later got elevated into global football and thus elected FIFA Executive Member in 1988. It was the same year that he also became a member of the FIFA World Cup Committee. He progressed further to become a member of the FIFA Finance Committee in 1988
Mr. Sey later rose to become a member of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a well-respected Committee responsible for the establishment of football laws and methods governing its application.
At the local front, he was also the President of the GFA when the country organised the CAF U-17 tournament in 2005, the first on Gambian soil. The Baby Scorpions won that particular edition and qualified to its first ever World Cup finals in Peru.
In 2012, The Gambia government invited him to serve as the Vice Chairman of Football Normalisation Committee when the world football governing body disbanded the former Executive Committee. He, together with Alhaji Fisco Conateh, oversaw the process that saw the GFA become a Federation with regional associations established in each of the seven administrative districts of the country.
Until his death, he was an adviser to the current executive committee.
