Sixteen national sporting associations have written to the International Olympic Committee disassociating themselves from a request made by presidential Aspirant Sheriff Jammeh. A copy of the letter was published on The Point Newspaper.
The letter to the IOC by the associations has been signed by their various representatives and copied to ANOCA, the media and the national associations.
The associations are: Gambia Athletic Association, Gambia Table Tennis Association, Gambia Golf Association, Gambia Basketball Association, Gambia Tawkwondo Association , Gambia Handball Association, Gambia Wrestling Association, Gambia Judo Association, Gambia Chess Association, Gambia Karate Association, Gambia Softball Association, Special Olympics The Gambia, Gambia Draught Association, Gambia Security Service Sports Association, Primary Schools Sports Association and Secondary School Sports Associations.
Below is the full text of the letter. Read on….
May 20, 2013
Mr Pere Miro
Director, International Relations
International Olympic Committee
Lausanne, Switzerland
Dear Sir,
Re: GNOC Fact Finding Mission
We make reference to a letter dated May 7, 2013 captioned “GNOC FACT FINDING MSSION” from Mr Sheriff Jammeh, an aspirant for the presidency of the GNOC in the impending elective congress. This letter was purportedly copied to all national associations. We undersigned 16 (sixteen) associations wish to unequivocally disassociate ourselves with this letter and take this opportunity to inform you of our unqualified support for the current GNOC Executive.
We hereby reiterate that, we were not consulted by Sheriff Jammeh, and a copy of the letter was not sent to us. Therefore, we the majority, are not in agreement with his assertions. The Olympic Movement in The Gambia is being held to ransom by three associations, through the court injunction, and we do not want to associate ourselves with the three associations, because they violated the provisions of the GNOC constitution.
