Reports surfaced on Wednesday of a crisis within the Gambian national football team, just days before the “Scorpions” set foot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Gambia is set to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations “Ivory Coast 2023,” scheduled to kick off on Saturday, January 13, and extend until February 11.
Competing in Group C alongside Senegal, Cameroon, and Guinea, the Gambian team faces a challenging group stage.
They kick off their continental journey against the defending champions, Senegal, before challenging Guinea and Cameroon.
The Ghanaian radio station “My Joy” revealed that Gambian players refused to participate in Tuesday’s training session, the last one before their departure to Ivory Coast.
The refusal was reportedly due to the non-payment of their deserved bonuses following their qualification for the AFCON finals, totaling $15,000.
The players’ decision not to attend training and travel to Ivory Coast for the AFCON 2023 has created a deadlock between the Gambian Football Federation and the national team.
Negotiations are ongoing to find a resolution before the commencement of the African tournament.
Gambia’s head coach, Tom Saintfeit, has appealed to fans and his coaching staff to intervene and persuade the players to reverse their stance.
However, supporters expressed their frustration, calling for the payment of the players’ wages.
The Gambia is scheduled to begin its AFCON journey against Senegal on Monday, January 15, at 3:00 PM.
Despite the current turmoil, the six top-ranked teams in the Africa Cup of Nations, including Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria, are considered frontrunners for the continental title.
As the tournament unfolds, attention remains fixed on the evolving situation within the Gambian camp, adding an element of uncertainty to their participation in AFCON 2023.
