By: Omar Jatta
The President of the Gambia Football Federation Mr Lamin Kabba Bajo has sent a congratulatory message to the newly elected FIFA President, Gianni Infantino for his ‘photo finish election’ victory last month.
In the precis of his message released on the federation’s official website, Bajo expressed his deepest honour for the new president and congratulated him for his victory.
“On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) and on my own behalf, I have the singular honour and privilege to congratulate you as the Head of the World football governing body following your election as the President of FIFA,” wrote the GFF President, who went further to convey his sincere appreciation and profound gratitude to the new FIFA President for his thoughtfulness and resolve to unite the FIFA family. He reassured the 45 year old Swiss about his willingness and availability to work with him in making FIFA greater and better.
This all came about despite the fact that the GFF had supported Mr Gianni’s main rival Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of Asian Football Federation as their candidate to replace Sepp Blatter. A decision which seemed to have been influenced by the Confederation of African Football[CAF] and WAFU [West African Football Union].
“The position of CAF is that Sheikh Salman is our candidate after he presented his manifesto to its members because we believe that he can help in developing the game in Africa,” said Bajo before travelling to Zurich for the elections back in February.
Also adding:“As an executive member of WAFU we also agreed that we will vote for Sheikh Salman because he will pursue and continue Blatter’s legacy to develop football in Africa so Gambia will definitely vote for him.”
Sheikh Salman, a royal from Bahrain, had been the pre-poll favourite, and his defeat was a blow to the ambitions of Asia and especially the Arab world, where there had been anticipation of a powerful new voice in sport.
But Infantino downplayed the notion that there are divisions in world football over his election, saying he had won “an election but not a war”. And he insisted he was not a European candidate, but “a football candidate” and touted his relationships across the globe.
