The Gambia football authorities have decided to called off the proposed friendly between the Scorpions and two Belgian First Division clubs slated for 7th and 9th September respectively.

The Scorpions who failed in their bid to host Congo in an international friendly in Paris [France] decided to take on KV Mechelen and SP Lokeren in the Belgian top flight this month but the games have been called off at the eleventh hour. Jammeh EK Bojang the Secretary General of the Football Association told Gambia Sports Online that they gave Coach Paul Put the green light to go ahead with the game but later decided to call it off after suspecting foul play.

According to Jammeh, the Ministry [Youths and Sports] said they can't finance the game since they are trying to help the U-17 in their preparations for the World Cup and they agreed with them. "We try to get Congo for a test game but we were asked by them to pay 50,000 USD in compensation in case the match didn't take place. The Executive Committee gave this a thought but because we reply them late, they decided to back out. "Then Paul emailed us to tell us that he succeeded in organizing a game with Mechelen and Lokeren. He needed 35,000 Euro to prepare for the game and the Ministry said they didn't have the money because they are thinking of the U-17's which we agreed with them.

"Paul informed us that the teams are ready to give us 30% of the gate fees but nothing from the Television rights. We communicate him back to go ahead with it if that percentage will cover all that he needed. "But then, Paul told us again that Oman wanted to play us when they should be in direct contact with the FA and not the coach. So we decided that something might have gone wrong somewhere and we decided to call it off" Jammeh said.

And since this games are been called off, it mean the national team has been idle for more that eleven months as they didn't play a single international since their 1-1 draw in Senegal [Dakar] in a World and Nations Cup qualifiers in October 11th.