GNOC EXECUTIVE, STAFF RESUME WORK

By Sulayman Bah Executive and staff of the Gambia National Olympic Committee have now resumed work at the Olympic House formerly closed by government. Workers of the bureau yesterday turned up at the complex following news that the Olympic House has been re-opened. Staff of the GNOC refused to work in solidarity with the NOC executives who were denied access to the structure on orders of government. The decision to open the complex, comes in the wake of the Ministry of Youth and Sports written request to the Interior ministry for the Police Intervention Unit personnel to be withdrawn from the bureau. The move, though welcomed by Gambia National Olympic Committee, comes seven days after the October 13^th deadline set by the International Olympic Committee. The Switzerland-based international body, last month, invited the NOC and government to a meeting in a bid to resolve the impasse. The convergence, wrapped up with IOC’s ultimatum ordering government to return the complex and its properties as well as rescind the travel ban it placed on the GNOC board members. MOYS’s slow reaction to carry out the orders was initially interpreted as one of defiance amid media reports hinting of a possible international suspension. The new development comes two days before the IOC executive board meeting slated for today. Relationship between government and the GNOC executive has been at best tempestuous, after the former slammed the latter’s presidential elections, held last year, as sham.]]>