The Banjul zone has owed their poor performance in this year’s zonal football championship to the refusal of some key players to play for the team. Banjul had their worst season since the inception of the annual championship after losing all their three group games in Group A.

It also show the team scored only two goals, while conceding 9 goals in the three matches. However, a press release issued by the Banjul Zonal & Sports Committee, signed by Ebou Faye, the Secretary-General, revealed that the refusal of some selected players to play for the Banjul team resulted in their early elimination from the championship. The said players, which included Abdoulie Johnson, Ebrima Singhatey and Alagie Touray of Marcus FC, Matarr Ceesay of Greenhouse, Yusupha Camara of JSP, Matarr Nyan of Jamesen and Abdul Aziz Saine of Greenhouse will face a two-match suspension in the next nawettan season, the release stated.

The release added: “It should be noted that the whole objective of the nawettan championship is geared towards the super nawettan tournament which brings the nawettan zones to compete and enhance the development of football in the country. As of next year, a provision will be added to the rules and regulations that govern the Banjul Nawettan where ‘any selected player for zonal team will have to make himself available or face severe suspension.”