Alhagie
Dodou Joof, president of the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC),
yesterday presented athletics jerseys to Region one athletic team ahead of the
primary school inter-regional athletics competition set for 18 February 2017,
at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
The
presentation ceremony was held at the GNOC complex on Bertil-Harding highway.
The
athletics materials, worth D14,000, were presented to region one on behalf his
company Capi and Sons Company Limited to improve and better equip region one
with quality athletics equipment that would aid the region in the upcoming
primary school inter-regional athletics championship set for the country’s 5nd
independence celebrations.
Speaking
at the presentation ceremony, Capi Joof said the donation was part of GNOC’s
presidential campaign slogan to advocate for the development of sport at the
grassroots level.
“It
was part of my campaign that when I would take over as the president of GNOC my
first priority is to develop grassroots sports not only athletics but all the
sports,” Capi pointed out.
The
GNOC president pointed out sports can only be developed through the employment
of human and material resources at the grassroots level which prompted him to
support in material kind.
“There
is no meaningful development of sport without going back to the grassroots -
the nursery and primary,” he said, adding: “That is where you can nurture
talented sports women and men to represent this country.
“When
I saw this young athletes dominating last year, I was so impressed but some did
not wear proper competition jerseys; so I had to call the coach and tell them
come next year I am going to sponsor you.”
Saikou
Jammeh, the trainer and representative of region one, on behalf of the entire
region, lauded Capi Joof for his benevolent gestures.
He
said the donated materials would go a long way in boosting their morale for
this year’s upcoming primary school inter-regional athletics competition.
“This
year, region one will come out with a new style of jersey which is sponsored by
your company unlike the previous years when we used the real Madrid jerseys,”
the region one trainer said. “On behalf of the regional office, I thank you so
much.”
