By Sulayman Bah
Twenty sporting associations have been temporarily de-activated by the
National Sports Council (NSC) from its register, Foroyaa Sport can
reveal.
The decision, says the NSC, follows the affiliate national sportinginstitutions failure to meet its eligibility criteria including
operating in at least four regions, running a secretariat and a
functioning domestic league amongst others.
This latest move comes after the council’s completion of a vetting
process by an internal select panel, a thing of which involved intense
scrutiny of associations through their respective heads.
The process which commenced in February, according to the council, is
aimed at getting rid of what it refers to as ‘briefcase’ sporting
associations scouting for travel opportunities and that only
functioning bodies represent Gambia in international events.
The NSC had an initial official list of twenty-nine associations but
only nine out of that were considered eligible. Meaning twenty of the
other bodies couldn’t match the stipulated criteria and thus
temporarily de-activated from the council’s long list, according to
NSC’s association desk officer Ebou Secka.
Foroyaa Sport however understands some associations –though
functioning but below the outlined eligibility mark – have been given
a time frame to meet the set standards or risk being completely erased
from the register.
Meanwhile, the nine associations who survived the cut and whose
membership have been endorsed are namely Gambia Basketball
Association, Gambia Football Federation, Gambia Volleyball
Association, Gambia Athletics Associations, Gambia Draught
Association, Gambia Cricket Association, Gambia Wrestling Association,
Gambia Paralympics Committee and Gambia Deaf Sports Association.
‘…….The aforementioned will be issued certificates of registration and
a letter detailing a few things they will have to improve upon within
one year of receipt of the said letter,’ a NSC statement by executive
Director Marcel Mendy reads.
The communique concludes: ‘ I take this opportunity to reiterate the
call for embassies and consulates to request from all sports bodies
and individuals wanting to travel to represent The Gambia in
international meetings/conferences/fora and or competitions clearance
from the National Sports Council.’
A number of associations contacted by this medium over the weekend
stressed they haven’t been served any such letter informing of their
membership termination or areas to improve on.
Responding, Ebou Secka said: ‘it’s difficult to reach some of them.
But we will make effort to serve them all their letters. Some of the
associations who have applied and are not considered would be told in
the letter what areas to work on to gain our membership status.’]]>
