‘I’m not saying you have to kill him’

The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) has requested that disciplinary proceedings be opened against Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi following derogatory remarks he made about referee Bakary Gassama.

Belmadi appeared to encourage verbal and physical attacks on the Gambian official in a video posted by Algeria’s football federation (FAF), saying: “I’m not saying that you have to kill him”.

Gassama has received criticism in Algeria for his decisions during their 2-1 defeat by Cameroon in a 2022 World Cup qualifying tie on 29 March, a result which saw the North Africans miss out on a place at the tournament in Qatar.

The GFF said it has been following with “grave concern” the verbal attacks launched against Gassama.

A statement from the organization said it had made a formal complaint to FAF, and asked Fifa and the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to open investigations and disciplinary proceedings against Belmadi, 46.

“We’ve asked the Algerian federation to make a public statement condemning the actions of Mr Belmadi and all the verbal attacks against Mr Gassama by Algerians,” the GFF statement said.

It added that FAF should “take all necessary precautions to restrain their officials and nationals from making any further negative remarks and threats against Mr Gassama”.

“Otherwise, their federation will be held responsible and complicit for any harm which may happen to him.”

Gassama, 43, has officiated at the past two World Cups and refereed three matches at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.