Gestion des billets et soutien financier de la FSF : le président des Sénégalais d'Amérique déballe
In a candid interview with Walf Quotidien, Mamadou Lamine Mbow, president of the Association of Senegalese in America (ASA) – a position he holds after serving as the organization's legal counsel and then treasurer – discussed the inner workings of the community's efforts to support the Lions during their games in the United States. He began by emphasizing the honor he felt at this appointment, humbly admitting, "I am not the most qualified person to lead this association, which I know quite well."
The supporters' organization, however, encountered significant logistical difficulties with ticketing. The allocation of only 400 tickets sparked considerable tension within the community. Beyond this number, deemed insufficient, the president of the ASA (Association Sportive Autonome - Autonomous Sports Association) lamented that supporters were dispersed throughout the stands and that tickets were distributed very late. This situation particularly complicated matters during the match against France, especially since the tickets were electronic. He explained that "the application had to be downloaded first," which was not straightforward for some supporters who struggled to use it. The situation improved for the match against Norway, however, thanks to the involvement of Consul General Demba Camara and Ambassador Abdoul Wakhab Aidara. Of the 400 tickets, 230 were ultimately allocated to the 12th Gaindé (supporters' group) based in the United States, under the coordination of Francis Correa, Pape Bâ, and Mohamed Aboubacry Bâ.
Beyond the lack of tickets, Mbow laments the insufficient financial support from sports organizations. He states that the community had to mobilize its own resources to support the national team. While the Consul General granted them $2,000 for hosting the Lions and printing the jerseys, the commitments made, according to him, by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) have not materialized. The ASA president explains that he met with the FSF president, Abdoulaye Fall, as well as the secretary general, Abdoulaye Sow, stating that "they made commitments, but nothing has come of it."
It was only for the match against Norway, with Issa Laye Diop's arrival in the United States, that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) offered them $2,000 in aid. An offer that the source speaking to the Front de Terre press group's daily newspaper said he initially refused: "I told the members not to take this money because this sum is insignificant, especially considering we spent five times that amount." Under pressure from the president of the 12th Gaindé (the club's nickname), the association finally accepted the contribution, "with a proper receipt."
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