Sports decentralization is essential for the development
of Gambian sports, especially football.
We have always emphasized the need for all sports, particularly football, to be decentralized across all regions of the country.
With such an initiative, regional sports committees and clubs can organize their own competitions, and run their own affairs as semi autonomous bodies affiliated to the FA.
If that happens, the regions would also be required to raise their own funds and develop sports at the regional level.
Developing the game requires a lot of resources, and to depend on the centralized way of doing things may no longer work well for us.
We believe that through regional competitions, and promoting football at the regional level are all essential for Gambian football’s development.
The commitment of the government to developing football at the grassroots level has been manifested in recent times.
However, there is no doubt that the country needs to develop its sporting infrastructure, especially in the regions.
Most of our sporting facilities needed to be upgraded to meet the required standard, and that is key to decentralization of sports.
We, therefore, encourage the stakeholders to go back to the drawing board, and do a better job for national sports development, by making decentralization a priority.
