There has been a suggestion in the Algerian media that the knife which appeared on the pitch during the Algeria-Gambia qualifier for the World and African Cup of Nations in Algeria had “made in Gambia,” written on it. This claim is spurious at best and complete nonsense at worst. It is a perfect example of a nation grasping at straws. The Algerian football association last week denied that their players had threatened to bring harm to our boys when they travelled to Algiers and now, through the media, it appears to be trying to cover up the bad behaviour of the Algerian fans.

There are a number of basic facts we should consider. Firstly airport security. Long before 9/11 airport security had been extremely tight all over the world. Since that terrible event, security has been even tighter. So how do the Algerians expect us to believe that a Gambian fan managed to smuggle a knife through customs firstly in Banjul then in Dakar and finally in Algiers.

Secondly there is the issue of numbers. The flights to go and see the game in Algiers would be far beyond the means of many Gambian people and so it would only be the wealthy who travelled to the game. This would mean that of the tiny number of fans who travelled that there was one rich person who got into the cheap seats and threw a knife on the pitch simply for the love of trouble. The whole scenario is utterly laughable and it is nothing short of an insult to be asked to swallow such patently inaccurate nonsense. Discussion in the offices of The Point have failed to reveal the whereabouts of The Gambia’s knife factory so where this supposed blade was forged is something of a mystery. On the other hand all the Algerian reports stated was that “made in Gambia” was written on the knife. This could mean that somebody had crudely written on the weapon in pen. If this was the case though, it would be difficult to see how the referee Mr. Sebastien Gilles N’dume could have been fooled into asking how an Algerian spectator would come to have a knife with this written on it in his pocket. There is something extremely fishy about these reports. It is certain that the Algerians are simply trying to cover up on more bad behaviour this time on the part of their fans. FIFA must punish the Algerians appropriately for this further incident.

The Algerians for their own sake should investigate what is looking like a rather nasty strain running through their football team and supporters and take appropriate action. The kind of behaviour we have seen from both Algerian players and supporters in recent times has no place in football and the relevant authorities should act to ensure that it is stamped out immediately.

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