The weeklong Gambia Football Association/FIFA basic training course for regional referees on Monday ended at the National Technical Training Centre in Yundum.
Twenty-five participants from the regions attended the training course, which centred on refereeing knowledge and understanding of the laws of the game, tactical knowledge, match control and referees' physical fitness.
The FIFA sanctioned course was directed by Messrs: Joseph Lamptey Wellington from Ghana, Sidi Bekaye Magassa a FIFA Referee Development Officer from Mali and Mademba Mbacke from Senegal.
Seedy M.B. Kinteh, the President of the Gambia Football Association, who spoke at the closing ceremony of the course, said this is the first of such a high-profile training programme for football referees from the regions, since the establishment of the Gambia Football Association 58 years ago. He thanked the FIFA through the course directors for such a noble initiative and for always standing by association.
He added that as the participants of this groundbreaking event all eyes would be on them for their comportment as referees, who serve as ambassadors of the game.
Seedy urged the participants to keep up the spirit of the game, and to continue making selfless sacrifices in upholding true values of fair play.
He also thanked the course directors for conducting an impressively disciplined course. He finally commended the local course instructors for their splendid performances during the training programme.
At the end of the programme, certificates of appreciation were awarded to all the participants, as well as 7 others who had passed the fitness test.
Messrs Joseph Lamptey Wellington, the Course Director, Uncle Badu Jasseh, the Chairman of the Gambia Referee Association, Jammeh Bojang, the Secretary-General of GFA and Fatou Sowe, a participant spoke at the occasion.