Multiple award winning and celebrity referee Bakary Papa Gassama formerly announced today that he’s hanging up his whistle.
Gassama was a referee for nearly two decades and as well as several African Cup of Nations, he’s also officiated in two separate World Cups finals.
Gassama, who has been a beacon of excellence in refereeing, has decided to step down to make way for the next generation of young referees to shine. Born on the 10th February 1979 in Memmeh village of the Jokadou District in the North Banl region, the 44-year-old man rose to prominence within the refereeing circles after joining FIFA’s elite panel in 2007. His journey began in The Gambia local Nawettan competition and the domestic leagues, but his exceptional skills soon caught the attention of both the region and global stages when he started with the whistle at CAF inter-club competitions.
Gassama’s reputation for fairness, acute understanding of the game, and ability to manage high pressure situations made him a respected figure in the sport. He has a huge fan base across the continent with high degree of respect and satisfaction in his work.
Throughout his career, Gassama has been at the helm of some of the most significant matches in football. He officiated at the 2012 summer Olympic Games in London, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. There, Gassama visibly was assigned the match between the Netherlands and Chile where he was at the centre of the world’s attention for all the right reasons.
His expertise was not limited to the World Cup but was a regular at the Africa Cup of Nations where he took charge of many of the continent’s flagship matches at the finals. Gassama also officiated the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Final.
He has also appeared in several competitions such as the U-20 World Cup, CAF Champions League, Club World Cup Championship, African Qualifiers, Gold Cup, Arab Cup, the Kings Cup, Confederations Cup amongst others.
As Gassama’s international career draws to a close, he leaves behind a legacy of integrity and professionalism. His decision to retire is driven by a desire to provide opportunities for younger referees to emerge and gain visibility on the global stage.
While stepping away aside from international duties, Mr. Gassama has committed to continue his involvement in football by contributing to the GFF domestic league Division One for the remainder of the 2023/24 season. His experience and mentorship will undoubtedly be invaluable to the development of upcoming referees in Gambia.