By Momodou Jarju
Scores of Gambians took to social media to mourn the death of former Gambia Football Association Secretary General cum President, Mr George Gomez, who passed away on Tuesday, September 1st, 2020.
Gomez is remembered for the goal he scored against Senegal in 1962 in Dakar during the Kwame Nkrumah tournament when The Gambia outclassed her neighbor in a game that ended 3 goals to 2 in favour of the former British colony.
He alongside Amo Taal, Salif Ndaw, Ousman Sillah, Max Njie, Lie Ngum, Saul Jagne, Eku Forbes (father of Pastor Forbes), Musa Jobarteh, Assan Jallow, Solomon Gomez, Pa Willy Ndure and Nyamsu Sambou formed the Gambia soccer squad that last defeated Senegal in a football competition.
The demise of Gomez, formerly Executive Director of Olympic movement and ex-national player was revealed by the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) on its Facebook platform on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020.
The Federation said it learnt with deep shock and sadness of the passing away of the veteran sportsman who died after a “mild illness.”
GFF said following the announcement of the sad news, GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo said Football and sports world has lost an icon, describing him as a true partner and collaborator of the GFF ‘who has worked with us in every aspect of our development agenda as an adviser and committed member of the Legends Identification Committee’.
“Uncle George Gomez was an epicentre of Football development and we at the Football House have lost an irreplaceable legend,” Mr Bajo said.
Dozens of comments followed below the post, all sending their condolences to the veteran sportsman.
One Tijan Masanneh Ceesay, who said the decease, was like a father and confidant to him, wrote on the Facebook timeline of Mr. Gomez saying in the last few months, Gomez kept stressing that they “have to document history and always stressed the urgency.”
One Lamin Jassey wrote a long article on Facebook too, stating how great a friend and mentor Mr. Gomez was to him, with whom he had several conversations about the evolution of Gambian sports, particularly football.
About George Gomez
Mr Gomez was former GFA President from 1990-1992, a period that eventually ushered in former Football Boss Alh Babou Ceesay (1992-1993).
Mr Gomez was a member of the GFF Awards and Legends Committee and played a pivotal part in the first organised Football Awards held in January 2019.
The former Gambia Olympic movement CEO will be vividly remembered for his myriad knowledge in sports having authored a widely read publication “Milestones in Gambian Football” which chronicles the most important events of Football history in the Gambia.
His book cradled the formative years and recent Gambian Football development. He recently hailed the GFF Football leadership for their show of recognition and honor to late Alh Momodou Njie (Biri Biri), who also passed away in July.
