The Gambia
National Olympic Committee (GNOC) has applauded the election of Thomas Bach of
Germany as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
As many did, GNOC leadership pointed out that Bach has experience as an Olympian and Olympic champion in team fencing (1976 Montreal), as head of the German NOC, as a member of the IOC juridical commission and on the International Council of Arbitration for sport, and as a business leader who understands marketing and was involved with television rights negotiations in Europe.
Bach won on the second ballot in Tuesday election with 49 votes, with Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico winning 29 votes, followed by Ser Miang Ng of Singapore with 6, Denis Oswald of Switzerland with 5 and Sergey Bubka of Ukraine with 4.
Reacting to MrBach’s election, the President of GNOC, Mr Momodou Dibba, revealed that he hasno doubt that he is going to be a good president because theyhaveseen what he has been doing from the different positions he has occupied. And he is also very open and keen to exchange and get people’s opinion and has a very clear vision.
Commenting on Mr Bach’s contribution to Gambian Sports, especially to The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC), Mr Dibba pointed out that through him, the German Olympic Committee has organised series of training programme for Gambian coaches and Administrators through the GNOC.
“During the FIFA U-17 Women World Cup in Azerbaijan in 2012, Mr Bach arranged through GNOC a link between Gambia and German Women Football for cooperation in the area of training Gambian women coaches,” Mr Dibba revealed.
The GNOC boss added that during the London Olympic Games last year, the Gambian delegation had fruitful discussion with Thomas Bach on how German Olympic Committee could support the development of athletes and build technical capacity among coaches, with special emphasis on women in sports.
“I think Bach will be helpful to Africa because he has always done some training for sports administrators in Africa. If you want to bring the Olympic Games to Africa, you definitely need to help people, train the administrators, bring competition, train the technicians, and prepare people to host the Games properly,” the GNOC boss concluded.
