Secretary of State for Youths and Sports, Hon Mass Axi Gye, during the ordinary session of The Gambia National Olympic Committee last Saturday, has warned National Sporting Associations to desist from occupying offices for their selfish ends.

He said, “gone are the days when offices that are occupied are solely for the purpose of enriching oneself and not to purposefully contribute towards the development and promotion of their respective associations and sports”.

He urged sporting associations to be committed to the promotion and development of their respective bodies in sports.

“National Sports Associations belong to the people and as such should be responsive to the wishes and aspirations of the Gambian people.”

SoS Gye urged sporting associations to establish stronger ties with the GNOC for the promotion of their respective disciplines.

He commended the GNOC for their tireless efforts in ensuring that the participation of The Gambia’s athletes in major international competition especially in the all Africa games, the Commonwealth games and the Olympic games.

In his report, Abou Dandeh Njie, President of The Gambia National Olympic Committee stated that the GNOC continues to work in the international field by participating fully and effectively in the programmes of the IOC and Olympic solidarity.

He highlighted that, among others, the Secretary General of the GNOC, Alhagie Abdoulie Touray, was appointed a member of the international panel that will prepare and organise the IOC congress to be held in Copenhagen in 2009.

He said the GNOC is fully aware of the National Sports Associations perennial financial problems and believes that if heads are put together a solution might be identified.

He called on the need to revisit the national sports policy and action plan with a view to developing new strategies that would address our fundamental sports development constraints.

He described the GNOC Sports Infrastructure Initiative Project (SIIP), which has included the building of the GNOC Resource Centre, as progressing satisfactorily adding that in future they may offer it as a Centre of Excellence for a Diploma Course in Sports Administration.

The GNOC Prexy, cited the numerous projects the GNOC has supported in developing sporting facilities across the country adding, “ the approximate cost of all these works amounts to over two million Dalasis”.

In conclusion he said the GNOC will continue to work with partners to ensure that the SIIP is completed and facilities provided for sports are developed and properly decentralised.

The Executive Director of the GNOC, George Gomez, read the Secretary General’s report on behalf of Abdoulie M Touray.  In presenting the report he said the year 2006 was a very busy one for GNOC with the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia and the 1st Zonal games in Bamako, Mali.

He said, “the GNOC with your support and effective collaboration continues to enhance the enabling environment for sports administration and development in The Gambia. We encourage all affiliated associations to maintain their spirit of goodwill and teamwork on the road to consolidating our achievements in promoting the ideas of Olympism for the benefit of humanity.”

The audited accounts were also read followed by a general discussion of the reports.

The ordinary session also witnessed the appointment of Ms. Amie Bensouda to the GNOC Bureau. She replaces Ms. Juka Jabang, former bureau member, who went on an international assignment.