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Gambia News : Gambia’s soccer champs FC Wallidan withdraws from CAF competition

Announcing their withdrawal Tuesday from the competition, the club’s president, Alhagie O.B. Conateh explained that the club needed one million and five hundred thousand dalasis(about US$ 60,000) to prepare for their match against Ittihad Zamouri of Morocco on 29 Janauary2009 in Morocco.

He said the decision has already been communicated to the Confederation of African Football.

"The domestic league will commence soon and we have to prepare for it. We were expecting funding elsewhere, but it is not forthcoming," he said.

The clubs in the Gambia are grappling with financial constraints and that is why Real de Banjul did not participate in this prestigious continental tournament last year, he added.

He further explained that the Gambia was not represented in the competition last year and that this year also, "it is not going to be represented...this is not good for our football’.

He added that the only means clubs get money in this country is through selling players abroad.

He was however quick to lament that the clubs don’t sell players every time, noting that the clubs also don’t get money from sponsorships or gate intakes.