SPORTS COUNCIL DELETES 20 ASSOCS

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By Sulayman Bah Twenty sporting associations have been temporarily de-activated by theMarchel Mendy 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.’]]>