By Sulayman Bah
There’s an ongoing furore between the new executives of the Gambia Wrestling Association (GWA) and its 
predecessors with the latter withholding documents belonging to the association.
The former leadership was dissolved by National Sports Council (NSC) for, in the words of the council, refusing to conduct an elective congress.
Wrestling stakeholders accused the erstwhile executive, bossed by Matarr Jarju, of a plethora of vices including embezzlement of funds belonging to the association and overstaying their welcome in power.
The National Sports Council initially urged Jarju and co to go to congress upon expiry of their term in office.
The previous leadership argued the timing for a congress wasn’t ideal giving the country was being gripped by uncertainty with the then political impasse hovering.
The NSC, having grown tired of the then executives’ ‘excuses’ decided to use its powers as overseers of national sporting associations to dissolve the former executive set up.
The council went ahead to conduct a congress leading to the ushering of a new team for the wrestling associate now headed by Serign Modou Faye –a move that didn’t sit well with the former team.
Reacting, the erstwhile handlers of the GWA, in fits of anger, decided against handing over documents to the new executive, insisting a congress wasn’t held and that the NSC didn’t write to inform them of their dissolution.
The standoff has been dragging on for over six months, emerging only recently.
The situation leaves Faye and his team virtually penniless and unable to conduct a national championship which could have availed national team coach chance to select wrestlers for the forthcoming Ecowas tourney billed for May 12.
Faye revealed in a press conference arranged last Friday that they’ve urged their predecessors to handover, a plea that has so far been snubbed.
However, in a slight twist of tone, the ex-committee now say they are willing to hand probably before end of the ongoing wrestling season but on grounds negotiations are held.
‘We have written to the Sports Ministry about the situation and are waiting for them. The handing over will be done because the documents aren’t ours and that could happen probably before the season finishes. Our boss (Matarr Jarju) has traveled and is not in the country,’ Habibou Nyassi, the former GWA Secretary General, tells Foroyaa Sport.
The Sports Council promises to look into the matter one more time when reached for comment yesterday.
In a new trajectory, newly appointed coach for the Gambia senior wrestling team Sulayman Bah dubbed Boy Melah, has called up twenty-six (26) wrestlers as he gets down to work for the Ecowas championship.
