Presidential Aspirant Takes Issues with Wrestling Association

82

By Sulayman Bah

Presidential aspirant Modou Faye has taken issues with the Matarr Jarjue-led Gambia Wrestling Association ‘formodou-faye-alias-cham-swipes-at-the-gwa their part in the snail pace progress’ of wrestling in the country.

The traditional sport is beset by a long drawn out furore between the current GWA leadership and its stakeholders.

The situation, which had the GWA on the receiving end of derides from vexed delegates who accused the Matarr Jarjue-led executives of overstaying in office amongst other alleged constitutional violations, throws possibility of the arena re-opening in serious doubts.

October 15 is the billed date for annual official opening of any wrestling season in the country but the matter was postponed with stakeholders more particular over review of the constitution which is still to be validated.

And after an agreed date of 26th for constitutional review, Modou Faye, who is vying to unseat president Matarr for the wrestling top job, has decided to challenge the GWA.

‘Every year of September, we are to have AGM but we didn’t see that until we (delegates) petitioned them (the GWA) to the National Sports Council SC who urged them to hold the AGM. The AGM was held but we turned down the financial report and nothing was adopted. The constitution is not validated and a review is now set for 26th November,’ he says.

‘The executive should be calling for congress every four years but now they have gone for four years eight months which makes it all late. We want the ministry and sports council to intervene. Wrestling is the only sport with a desk officer at the Sports Council. So we expect the sport to be moving forward and not backwards. This is a sport that shouldn’t be joked with because you have many people part of it especially youths. The fastest way you can gather people together is through wrestling because of the number of people congregating in it’.

Faye dubbed, Cham, who is also wrestling managers’ president, chastised the GWA ‘for failing to put up good structures in place to ensure the sports growth.’

‘Structures should be put in place to ensure the sport is on the right path. The big wrestlers of Senegal today started it out here in Gambia but the sport there can’t be compared to what we have right this moment’

‘We first have to work on the administrative aspect of it. If the administration is running the sport in order, then everything to follow will be in order. We want changes. We want the sport to develop. I have the backing of all managers to contest for the presidency. There will be massive changes when we takeover’

Faye’s remarked is sure to provoke reaction from the GWA and reached for comment yesterday wrestling boss Matarr Jarju told Foroyaa Sport: ‘He (Faye) and his crew are entitled to say whatever they want. He (Cham) thinks running this post is easy but he will get to find out soon’

‘Right this moment we are focused on review of the constitution this is what is of paramount importance for now,’ Jarjue adds.