Gambia is in shock over the death of Fatim Jawara goalkeeper of the country’s women’s national team.
Jawara met her untimely death while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea last week.
Using the porous Libya borders after spending weeks in Misrata, she was among a plethora of African migrants dreading the high waves in a bid to reach Lampedusa, south of Italy.
Her death, confirmed via an agent whom she’s reported to have paid to facilitate her departure from Libya, occurred last week Thursday coming to light on Friday.
Footballers in the West African nation receive paltry sums as pay and this explains the increasing numbers of exodus in players hoping to seek pastures new in Europe. For this perilous journey referred to locally as Back-Way, a good chunk of First Division clubs have been depleted of star players.
Up to 3,740 migrants are confirmed dead or missing in efforts to cross to Europe by boat in October 2016, according to the United Nations refugee Agency.
The Gambia Football Federation expressed utter shock at news of Jawara’s sudden demise.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I received the news today and it has really shocked me. The young girl is a talent and on the move for greener pastures but the way she died is just shocking and sympathetic. We at the GFF are very sad about the development and on behalf of the Football Federation, I want to send our condolences to the family of the girl and her former club Red Scorpions”[/perfectpullquote]
Gambia football boss Lamin Kaba Bajo said on the sidelines of a press briefing.
Choro Mbenga, a female gaffer who coached Jawara at Red Scorpions until she decided to travel to Libya, says of the late goalkeeper: ‘she was bold and stood for her teammates boldly. A talented goalkeeper she will really be missed’
Since her passing, social media has been awash with condolences from former teammates.
Fatima, a key member of former women’s league champions Red Scorpions FC, also formed core of Gambia U-17 Women’s team that took part in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2012 hosted in Azerbaijan.
Featured Photo: Courtesy of Gambia Women National Team
