GNOC Presidential hopeful Abdoulie Baks Touray has reacted to the Interim reports on the much-talked about GNOC presidential election, produced by the National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sports.
Below is the full text of the letter sent to the National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sports:
10th January 2011
Chairman
Youth & Sports
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON YOUTH & SPORTS INTERIM REPORT ON THE GNOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
We the undersigned National Sports Associations wish to react to the Interim Report on the GNOC Presidential Elections by the National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sports chaired by Honourable Alhaji Sillah.
As stakeholders, we therefore have an obligation to make some salient comments on the report as follows:
1) As National Sport Associations most of us were not invited to give evidence, clarify or amplify on any issue during the investigations by the NAM sub-committee, before reaching its conclusions, which regrettably are inaccurate and inconsistent in certain instances.
2) The National Associations constitute the General Assembly, the highest body within the GNOC Constitution, met on 13 November 2010 at the Independence Stadium. That meeting co-chaired by Mr. Sheikh Faye, Vice Chairman of the National Sports Council, and Mr. Peter Prom, Ag Secretary General, of GNOC and in attendance were Abdul Aziz Mendy, Ag Executive Director, National Sports Council, Mr. Lawrence Bruce, Executive Director of GNOC. The meeting after intensive deliberations agreed on a Voters’ list of 26 registered Associations as follows:
2 votes each
1. Athletics
2. Volleyball
3. Basketball
4. Weightlifting
5. Cycling
6. Fencing
7. Taekwondo
8. Lawn Tennis
9. Football
10. Golf
11.
12. Boxing
13. Wrestling
14. Handball
15. Table Tennis
1 vote each
1. Paralympics 6. Softball
2. Cricket 7.Special Olympics
3. Draught 8. Deaf Olympics
4. Karate 9. Secondary School Sports
5. Chess 10. Primary School Sports11. Combined Services
3) The voters' list unilaterally presented to the IEC by Ag. President of the GNOC Ms. Beatrice Allen for the 20th October Elections had 26 Associations as follows:
2 votes each
1. Athletics
2. Volleyball
3. Basketball
4. Weightlifting
5. Cycling
6. Fencing
7. Taekwondo
8. Lawn Tennis
9. Football
10. Golf
11.
12. Boxing
13. Wrestling
14. Handball
15. Table Tennis
16. Judo
1 vote each
1. Paralympics
2. Cricket
3. Draught
4. Karate
5. Chess
6. Softball
7. Special Olympics
8. Deaf Olympics
9. Primary School Sports
10. Combined Services
4) The point of debate between the two lists related only to Judo and Deaf Olympics. The NAM Sub-Committee has decided to qualify both Associations as being eligible to vote. The Deaf Olympics credentials confirm that they have been registered as a National Association and recognised internationally.
5) The Judo credentials indicate that they are recognised internationally but not registered locally. Since they are not registered locally with the GNOC and the NSC they cannot be regarded constitutionally as a member of the GNOC.
One is tempted to ask the logical question as to whether one can be a member of the AU Parliament without being a member of
6) The eligibility of the Fencing Association has never been an issue. They are duly registered with the NSC and recognised by the GNOC. Their letters from both institutions are readily available for your ease of reference. They voted at the last election in 2008 and were included in the voters’ list presented to the IEC by the GNOC for the 20th October 2010 elections. Their eligibility to vote should be restored and maintained.
7) Regarding Individual Voters the GNOC Constitution reads: "Resident or non-resident Gambian members of African Confederations or International Federations dealing with Olympic Sports."
The individual voter list again unilaterally presented to the IEC only mentioned Ms. Beatrice Allen as IOC member and Mr. Suwaebou Sanneh as an Olympian. Our objections for the exclusion of Dodou Joof (Capi) Treasurer of the Confederation of African Athletics and Ms. Adama Njie, Olympian, have been confirmed, hence our vindication. Facts are sacred.
8) The Commonwealth Games Federation is an International Federation and administers recognised Olympic Sports on its programme.
9) The IOC in its email of 23 October 2010, clearly states:
"We hereby confirm that the Commonwealth Games Federation is an IOC recognised organisation as this is clearly mentioned in the IOC Directory and on the website:...
Mr. Abdoulie Touray is not only a member of the Executive Board of the Commonwealth Games Federation but the VICE PRESIDENT for
With the above unqualified and unambiguous facts and evidence, there is no plausible reason why Mr. Touray should be denied a vote. We insist Mr. Touray be accorded his right to vote and not be disenfranchised.
10) The
11) The report includes the name of Abdul Shyllon as an individual voter but does not indicate his credentials as to what international position qualifies him to vote. We are not aware of Mr. Shyllon’s membership in any position in any African CONFEDERATION or an INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION.
Since there is no evidence of his qualification the voting right accorded to him must be withdrawn with immediate effect.
12) The NAM Sub-committee should re-examine the facts in relation to its references to the IOC on page 3 of the report.
We respectfully submit our observations to the
Furthermore, we hope the above observations will be seriously taken into account in reaching the conclusions in your FINAL REPORT.
cc Speaker –
Permanent Secretary – MOY&S
Director - IOC
Director – NSC
GNOC – Bureau Officers
All National Associations
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