FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed his delight in the passion and energy injected in the development of Gambian football by the country’s top football officials, likening it to the same passion at world football’s governing body. He said Gambia and President Adama Barrow, most especially, should be proud of GFF President Mr. Lamin Kabba Bajo for the remarkable achievements made in our football development.
Mr. Infantino made these remarks at State House in Banjul where he met the Gambian leader following his short working visit to the country on Monday. He was accompanied by FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura amongst a host of other top FIFA officials.
“I’m very impressed with the developments taking place in football in The Gambia. We are here to witness some progress made by the GFF under Lamin Kaba Bajo. Earlier on I was informed that there will be a presentation but there’s no better presentation than what I’ve seen with my own eyes. This is not what we’ve been told only but we at FIFA have seen the evidences with our own eyes and we’re definitely very impressed,” Mr. Infantino said.
“I would like to congratulate the GFF President for his strides to develop football and for the fact that the Gambia has again been named as a sample at two FIFA football summits where the country’s football work plans have been presented before the world. This is a testimony of the GFF’s seriousness in football development. We at FIFA are very proud of the brilliant work you [Mr. Bajo] are doing in The Gambia.”
Mr. Infantino also called on other Member Associations to come to the Football Hotel in Old Yundum so as to replicate it in their respective countries. He said The Gambia Football Hotel, reconstructed by the GFF through FIFA funding, doesn’t exist anywhere. He, therefore, promised to help in the improvement of the facility at Football Hotel. “The Gambia is being observed as a football country and I have seen the signs. We are here to cooperate and be rest assured that we will increase the finances to help develop football in The Gambia and we will work together.”
President Barrow described the maiden visit of a sitting FIFA President to The Gambia as historic. He congratulated the football family and singled out GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo for the tremendous work he is doing for football development in the country. He also spoke about his love for football. “The Gambia is a football loving country,” he said, while calling for a stronger partnership between FIFA and GFF.
He solemnly asked FIFA to stand by The Gambia and increase their support to the country. “The size of the country does not matter but instead what can be done to achieve our objectives and therefore we still appeal to you because you have the executive powers to help us more. As a government, we will do all means possible to continue supporting football growth and its development in The Gambia, although the resources are meager.”
Lamin Kabba Bajo for his part told President Barrow: “We are grateful and appreciative of your government’s invaluable support to Gambian football.” He said government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports is a strong and an indispensable partner to the GFF. Mr Bajo informed the Gambian President of FIFA’s contribution to the growth of football in The Gambia.
“FIFA renders tremendous support to us in The Gambia and all under the reigns of Mr Gianni Infantino. His initiative Forward Program has tremendously helped to shape Gambian football especially in the last four years. Without the support of FIFA, our football would not have been where it is today,” Mr Bajo added.