The NSC last week set stringent conditions for national associations wishing to be registered as bon-fide sports organisations in The Gambia. Among them are requirements for all associations to have 8 clubs and be operational in at least four regions in the country. Yesterday The Standard contacted some sports associations on their reaction and preparation for the new conditions, starting with the Weightlifting and bodybuilding federation’s President Musa Koteh who said: “The good thing is that the NSC is taking a firm stands in regulating sports bodies and bringing them to its purview but I don’t think apart from a few federations any national association can claim to be nationally operational. “In the case of our federation for example there are no gyms in the provinces for body builders to use and am sure the same goes for other sports,” Koteh said.
He added that the lack of infrastructure in the regions is the only obstacle for expansion to the regions for all associations and he hope that the NSC would factor that in their guidelines.
Asked about the other criteria which requires associations to organise annual championships, which sometimes proved difficult for most associations including his, Koteh replied by revealing that his federation will organise a national championship in December. “We are going to stage a big championship that will help us scout as many bodybuilders and weightlifters as possible to form a permanent national team. On affiliation with International federations which has been a falsh point in the recent GNOC saga, Koteh said the resolution of the GNOC saga is a good development adding that he hope that all of parties will come together to work for Gambian sports. He said the Gambia Weightlifting and bodybuilding federation is affiliated with it’s international federation and in fact they just been invited to the Men’s world championship in Spain.
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