Marcel
Mendy, executive secretary of National Sports Council, has said the government
and its partners spent colossal sums of money towards sports development but
sadly, the achievements and successes are yet to be commensurate with the
investments because all of us, particularly the administrators, have been
largely responsible for the dismal performances of our athletes and national
teams.
Mr
Mendy made these remarks while delivering a statement during the GNOC election
held last Saturday.
He
added that, “there have been instances that elected executives would get rid of
some key members of staff of their associations/federations because they had
been loyal to their predecessors and not because those members of staff cannot
deliver the goods; scholarships are not given to the deserving athletes and
coaches just because those athletes and coaches cannot be manipulated;
impartial and sometimes interfere in the selection of national athletes and
national teams; unjustly penalize our staff/ coaches and or athletes and in
some instances manipulate our constitutions just to win votes”.
He
said this had largely contributed to the predicaments in the national sport,
adding: “We will do well as a country
only when we stop the firefighting and power struggle and our efforts
concentrated on nation building.”
He
noted that, the NSC had observed with broken hearts efforts and the quality
time invested in amassing and canvassing for votes, far outweighs efforts
invested in ensuring that results are achieved in the country’s sport.
“Worse
still, it has become even clearer that it is only with rich associations that
we are beset by power struggle,” he went on, saying this gives a very bad
impression of our sports administrators and therefore, implored on all to take
a moment to do a “genuine analysis of ourselves and the reason for which we
have decided to be in sport|”.
Furthermore,
he said, among the lofty objectives of the GNOC, is to co-operate with the
Nationals Sports Council and sports associations in a drive to encourage high
standards in our sports; assist in the training of coaches, athletes,
administrators and teachers; assist in the provision and maintenance of the
necessary infrastructure and equipment for the development of sport and to
encourage and support initiatives in both the private and public sectors that
could promote and develop sport in The Gambia.
The
future of Gambian sport is today and as such, it is expected that the in-coming
executive/bureau will build on the achievements of the previous, rectify the
wrongs and give premium attention to the objectives of the GNOC and our
national interest and do away with camps, he further said.
“Such
have no place in our sport and as such, the NSC will frown against any attempt
to create them instead of unifying stakeholders for a common purpose,”
according to him.
He
also pointed out the alarming rate at which the country’s athletes take up
other nationalities after a lot of investments in them, saying there may be a
compendium of reasons for this.
“Notwithstanding,
it is a very unfortunate situation that we all have a part to play in trying to
stem the tide,” he said.
“Every
Gambian has a role to play in this crusade and we must talk to our family
members and friends, so that they will understand and accept that one of the
worst things one can do to his/her people/country is to desert them just for
monetary gains.”
On
a rather positive note, he said, the country’s performances at the continental
level and qualification to the Rio Olympics 2016 was quite encouraging.
He
therefore congratulated the national teams but also the GNOC and those
associations who worked tirelessly, at ensuring that the country went that far.
“I
say this statement of joy with a smile but for a while, knowing that we could
have done better,” he said.
He
remarked that their dream is to send at least fifteen athletes to the next
Olympics to be held in 2020 in Japan.
This,
however, will require a lot of collaborative efforts, he added.
Together,
we can make it happen, he said further, adding that the National Sports Council
is open to suggestions and recommendations as to how to go about achieving this
lofty goal the nation has set for itself.
He
stated that recently, they have witnessed some sports bodies operate or want to
operate according to their whims and caprices, not based on facts and
regulations.
He
described this as unacceptable and as such, the National Sports Council will
not allow such a situation to happen.
“As
a matter of fact, the NSC has observed with grave concern that in some
instances, some bodies and or groups of people gang up against others
irrespective of how well the latter does simply because they believe in a
different approach to development and or because they belong to the so-called
different camps,” he went on, saying, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the
NSC will not allow a body to be victimised under such circumstances.
They
are cognizant of the fact that stakeholders of anybody have the right to vote
their leaders in and out of office; however, it must only happen for the right
reasons and not simply because the said stakeholders are instigated by
outsiders to go against a legitimately elected body or because the stakeholders
themselves don’t want to play by the rules or perhaps they believe there exists
a “super national sports council” they can rely on for their dubious acts.
Preliminary
investigations into some of the cases in
the nation’s sports have revealed that some outsiders are meddling in
the sport, thus causing problems and misunderstanding among stakeholders and
lovers of sport, he said.
He
also advised all of those who are involved in such practice to desist from such
now, because knowing that only the truth shall set us free, the NSC may at some
point be compelled to expose perpetrators and engineers of trouble in the
country’s sport.
“Indeed,
sports in general appeals to all peoples, young and old, men and women and has
a universal language that can be a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance
and understanding by bringing people together across cultures, religions and
tribes,” he also said, adding: “It’s
values of teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and rules of
the game are understood all over the world regardless of what language one speaks.”
With
sports, everybody is expected to be one and the same, stereotypes shattered,
and the notion of nobody does not existent because sport recognizes the value
of all and should make all care for all, he further said, noting that it is
incumbent on all therefore to work towards bringing to an end the notion that
sport is synonymous to trouble.
Sports
is expected to find solutions to problems and not to be a dividing factor, he
said, while challenging everyone to intensify efforts in addressing the root
causes of all the problems.
“At
the local and national levels, we need to do more for deprived areas in the
provision of facilities, infrastructure, opportunities and programmes for
children, youth and adults of less endowed communities,” he pointed out.
He
implored on all to accept the outcome of the congress and support each other
for the good of the country.
He
commended the outgoing president and the entire executive board/bureau of GNOC
for observing the dictates of their constitution, saying this is what is
expected of all national sports associations/federations and committees.
He
concluded by saying that the NSC as the body is ordained to control, supervise,
monitor and regulate all sport and sports bodies in the country. He strongly
encourages all and their various associations to cultivate and maintain such
high level of good governance in their operations.
