The Minister of Youth and Sports, Honorable Sheriff Gomez, on Monday opened a 10-day African Draughts Confederation Championship and Draughts World Cup Qualifiers at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

The championship which is hosted by The Gambia is expected to attract interest from 12 African countries including the host, The Gambia.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Honorable Sheriff Gomez who opened the championship reminded the Gambia Draughts Association of his Ministry’s mission and vision which is to attain excellence in sports in which the draughts is no exception.

We will set a platform for every sporting association so that we can realize our objectives of achieving excellence in sports and I believe draughts is an important sport that can bring a lot of benefits in the country, he highlighted.

Mr. Gomez further challenged the Gambia Draughts Association to work closely with the National Sports Council at all times and also spoke on the need to decentralize draughts in various parts of the country including schools.

Sheriff Gomez finally took the opportunity to thank The Gambia Draughts Association for taking up such a responsibility of hosting this African Draughts Confederation Championship and the Draughts World Cup qualifiers before declaring the championship opened.

For his part, the President of the Gambia Draughts Association who was so much delighted to be part of this historic moment in the annals of draughts in the country.

‘We took up the cue from the Gambian leader His Excellence Sheikh. Prof. Dr. Alh. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh to host the African Draughts Championship when Guinea, Cote D’Ivoire and Cameroon failed to take up the challenge.

The nine most outstanding draughts players according to Momodou Dibba will be selected to represent the continent at the international draughts championship in Brazil.