Following reports by the media on the resignation of the Gambia senior national team coach, Anthony Hey, the National Sports Council has denounced the rumors stating that Coach Hey has not tendered any resignation and nothing like that was indicated in any of the press releases sent to media houses.

Below is a full text of the release.

Following media reports on the purported resignation of the German Football Coach of the Senior National Scorpions, Mr Toney Hey, the Department of State for Youths, Sports and Religious Affairs wishes to clarify the rumors that have gotten stakeholders and the general public concerned about the state of preparedness of the senior team, especially in light of their upcoming qualifying matches for the Africa cup of Nations and ultimately the World Cup in 2010.

The department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs wishes to allay such fears and is taking this opportunity to assure all and sundry that the coach has not tendered his resignation according to the media reports. You may wish to know that Mr Toney Hey has not been formally employed and he is expected back to the Gambia at the end of this month to finalise agreements with the Department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs, during which time the contract would be signed by both parties.

The Department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs appreciates the excellent dialogue among football stakeholder facilitated by the media , especially the radio, and would urge all journalists to check the veracity of statements and news items to ensure that the proper and true picture of events are communicated to the public.

Furthermore, the Department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs wish to reiterate that it operates an open door policy with the media houses in the interest of furthering the fraternity and sporting relationships that exist between the two institutions.

Sign: Executive Secretary