The Executive Committee of the Sports Journalists’ Association of The Gambia (SJAG) has received reports that its members were barred from accessing the main bowl from the media tribune as Fortune FC were crowned Champions of the 2020/2021 GFF First Division League, after their final league game with Waa Banjul on Sunday, 1st August, 2021 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
“Our members claimed the security had stopped them from accessing the pitch, from the media tribune to conduct interviews after the game, at a purported order of Bakary B Baldeh, Communication Officer at the GFF.
“Concerned by the unfortunate incident, the Executive of SJAG, through our Secretary General Alieu Ceesay, reached out to Bakary B Baldeh to hear his side of the story.
“Mr Baldeh denied giving the security any directive to prevent journalists from accessing the main bowl. From his explanation, ‘in fact, this thing happened at a time when I was conducting a celebration interview with Coach Jane Joof of Fortune on the pitch, which was different from the pre-arranged usual post-match press conference.’
“According to BB, as he is fondly called, he was shocked and surprised at the claims that he gave such a directive as it could have come from the organizing committee. He maintained that none of the journalists was barred from accessing the stadium to cover and report on the game.
“He opined that the decision to prevent people, not just journalists, from accessing the pitch while the coronation was ongoing, at the end of the game, was, perhaps, to ensure a well-organized event and to avoid people invading and disrupting the decoration.
However, the post-match presser couldn’t be held as the field was invaded by jubilant fans, thereby disrupting the planned itinerary for the event for a post-match press conference.”
The statement continued that “moving forward, the SJAG Executive calls for proper and better organization and communication when such events are taking place, while expressing solidarity with our members over the unfortunate incident. Journalists are important stakeholders in promoting the game and such should be avoided by whoever must have given the directive. The League is what it is today because of the media attention. The Executive will continue to engage the Football Federation to avoid the recurrence of this incident, which is regrettable and unacceptable,” it concluded.