Gambia’s
sporting delegation to the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games left the Gambian shores
in the early hours of Sunday 7 May 2017 for Azerbaijan.
The
Games are set to take place in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, from 12 to
22 May 2017.
The
Gambia will be represented by 9 athletes drawn from 3 different sports, namely
Athletics (6), Taekwondo (2) and Judo (1).
Speaking
at a send-off ceremony held at the Olympic House, the president of the Gambia
National Olympic Committee (GNOC), Dodou Capi Joof, reminded the athletes that
they have been selected among a lot based on their performance to represent the
country at the Islamic Games and it is a duty on them to be good ambassadors of
the country.
He
called on the athletes to have good behavior, as focus will be on The Gambia at
this critical time in the history of our nation.
Mr
Joof, who also doubles as President of The Gambia Athletics Association GAA),
urged the athletes to be ready for any obstacles, saying any adventure has its
own challenges.
For
her part, the vice president of GNOC and IOC Member, Miss Beatrice Allen, told
the delegation not to be carried away by the size of the big nations in the
competition because The Gambia though small by side, is made up of great
people.
She
advised the athletes to be focused as the Islamic Games can be used as
preparation for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.
Miss
Allen called on the athletes to be united and respect their coaches.
Anthony
Tabal, a board member of GNOC, expresses similar sentiments.
Athletes
Adama Jammeh and Gina Bass, who are presenting in France, will join the team in
Bakau May 9, while Judoka Faye Njie and his coach Robert will arrive at the
Games on May 10 from their base in Finland.
The
Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games
involve the elite athletes of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
The
Islamic Solidarity Games Federation (ISSF) is the organisation that is
responsible for the direction and control of the Islamic Solidarity Games.
As
many as 56 countries are expected to participate in the Games, which will
feature 13 disciplines.
The
first edition of the Games was held in 2005 in Saudi Arabia. The second event
was cancelled after it had been originally scheduled to take place in Tehran in
October 2009. Indonesia hosted the 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games in 2013.
The
Gambian delegation is as follows:
1. Papa Njie…………………… Chief De Mission
2. Adama Jammeh……Athlete (100m/200m/ 4
x100m relay)
3. Abdoulie Assim………Athlete (200m/ 4X100m
relay)
4. Assan Faye…………….Athlete ( 100m/4x 100m
relay)
5. Ebrahima Camara……….Athlete (100m/ 4x100m relay)
6. Alieu Joof…………….Athlete (100m/ 4x100m
relay)
7. Miss Gina Bass………………..Athlete (100m
/200m)
8. Modou Njie
...............................Athletics Coach
9. Babou Saine …………………Taekwondo ( 58kg)
10. Babucarr
Bopp………………….Taekwondo (68kg)
11. Baldeh………………………..Taekwondo
Coach
12. Faye
Njie…………………………Judo (-73kg)
13. Robert
Andrei Provuo…………..Judo Coach
