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FIFA-Com Unity seminar participants renew commitment

Oct 20, 2010, 2:03 PM

Participants at a three-day FIFA Com-Unity Seminar on Women's Football at the Kairaba Beach Hotel have renewed their commitment to help in improving the standard of women's football in the country.

FIFA officials are in Banjul to conduct a high-profile seminar on women's football in The Gambia. The seminar is intended to improve cooperation and communication between member associations, the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the media, sponsors and other partners in the field of marketing.

Speaking to Pointsport shortly after the presentations on Wednesday, three participants gave synopsis of their impressions of the seminar.

Mariama Sowe, head coach of Interior Female national team and assistant coach of the women's national team of The Gambia, said her commitment to helping women's football reach the highest level had been heightened.

"I believe I can continue to take up my role as a female coach with the knowledge I have gained from the seminar," she said. "I personally have learnt a lot in this seminar."

Sowe, also known as Bom, added: "It is important to take part in such an important seminar and I am quite sure this will create an opportunity for women in sports to remain ever committed towards ensuring that we attain excellence in women sports and football in particular."

Sowe, who guided Interior to a series of league titles in the country's top flight Women's Football, used the platform to appeal to the parents of female footballers to allow their daughters to play football.

She was however quick to pour cool water on the notion that girls could lose their virginity as a result of playing football.

Alieu Badara Sonko, also a participant, said he had learnt a lot about women’s football and promised to implement and share the knowledge gained from the seminar.

Sonko, who represented the Gambia Police Force and Interior Football Club, challenged the GFA to build infrastructure to showcase their talents.

Another speaker at the seminar, Binta Trawally, told Pointsport that the seminar had motivated her to build interest in women's football.

Binta, a native of Sukuta, said: "I learnt a lot from the seminar and the presenters taught us a lot of things regarding the way forward of women's football in the country."

The Seminar wraps up today.

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