Gambia dismiss U-17 cheat claims

Gambia football authorities have dismissed claims made by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) that they used over-aged players in their Africa U-17 Championship qualifiers.

The Baby Scorpions won the first round, second-leg encounter 3-0 on Saturday to eliminate Sierra Leone 7-1 on aggregate.

The SLFA has already protested to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) alleging that The Gambia fielded over-aged players in Ebrima Bojang, Lamin Samateh and Kawsu Japp.  

But Baby Scorpions team manager Abdoulie Bangura rejected the claims saying Sierra Leone football authorities are bitter over the defeat.

"The allegations made against our players are false. We don't cheat in any competition we enter and we'll never cheat," said Bangura.  "The players in question are eligible to play because they are within the age bracket.

"The Sierra Leone team officials want their fans to take their minds off the bitter defeat they suffered from us."  Caf is yet to respond to the claim by the Sierra Leoneans.
Gambia will face Ghana in the next round if the three players are cleared by Caf.