CAF’s postponement of the Total Afcon Finals to 2022 is attracting reactions from the football family. First and foremost is the President of The Gambia Football Federation Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo adding his voice to the continental body’s decision of rescheduling Africa’s flagship football tournament to the succeeding year.
Speaking to the Federation website www.gambiaff.org, Mr Bajo said the adjournment of the Total Afcon from 2021 to January 2020 is been received by the GFF with “mixed feelings“, noting that The Gambia was well prepared for the Afcon Qualifiers before the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The GFF would have wished the momentum is maintained but unfortunately, no one has control over Covid-19 pandemic“. Bajo said the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), government and local health authorities must be respected for the safety of the players. ” The health and safety of the players is the most important thing and we have to stick to the advice of the authorities”, he noted.
He however said the momentum has really dwindled after the pandemic struck the world especially affecting football. ” We’ve not been playing for months and looks like it will remain so for few more months which we all feel disappointed but on the contrary we have no choice, hence the health of everyone comes first“, he added.
Mr Bajo nonetheless added that the adjournment on the other hand has its advantages. “ It will now give us more time to further prepare well ahead of the resumption of the remaining qualifying matches. We hope that when we resume we will have the strength that we desire both technically, financially and logistically“.
The GFF Boss concluded that the mutual feeling at the GFF is such that when the competition resumes, the Gambia will be able to come with the desired force to be able to improve on “our position and qualify for AFCON 2022“.
CAF Executive Committee at its meeting held on Tuesday 30th June 2020 via Video Conference to discuss the future of Competitions and other related issues following the Covid-19 pandemic, has unanimously agreed as thus:
After consultation with stakeholders and taking into consideration the current global situation, the tournament has been rescheduled for January 2022. The date for the final tournament and the remaining matches of the qualifiers will be communicated in due course.
