Gambian referees are on a Zonal Championship boycott over a D250 per game payment demand.

The boycott started on Monday, 16th October 2917, a day after the first game of this year’s Zonal competition kicked-off. They want all match officials to be paid a flat rate of D500 each per game. 

This medium has learned that the demand for the increment of fees for match officials were contained in a letter written to the competition committee prior to the commencement of the tournament. This year's request for a match fee increment followed a similar demand made last year which was resolved between the parties.

And although they demanded D500, they said the amount is still not worth their effort. "It's chicken change" said a member of the referee's association.

Gunjur Sports Committee PRO Abou Sallah Barrow in a Gunjur Sports Development Forum indicated that both parties have reached an agreement and had this to say: "According to reports I have gathered, super nawettan matches resumes tomorrow (Tuesday). The super cup organizing committee and the refs association have reached an agreement over an amount to be paid to them per match."

Lang Tombong Tamba, competition chairman of the Super Nawettan in an interview with Peter Gomez of West Coast Radio on Monday, assured the public that the issue will be resolved amicably and the matches that were cancelled due to the referees’ strike will be rescheduled. The affected matches will be available free of charge to spectators, “there will be no gate takings”, Mr Tamba confirmed.  It could be recalled that the curtain raiser for the 2017 FIBank Sponsored Super Nawettan took place on Sunday 15th October at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. Defending Champions, Gunjur battled it out with Bakau in a goalless stalemate, a game in which Gunjur was left pondering over countless missed opportunities to snatch all three points. It remains to be seen when the competition will resume in light of the reported boycott by the referees and the assurances from the competition chairman that the games will continue.