#National News

Minister Badjie, GNOC pays courtesy on top IOC official

Aug 5, 2021, 12:45 PM

The minister of Youth and Sports Bakary Y. Badjie and the members of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) on Wednesday paid a courtesy call to Jérôme Poivey, head of Institutional Relations and Governance in the National Olympic Committees (NOC) Relations Department at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

During the visit, Mr Poivey briefed the minister and delegation about the IOC and expressed the need for government and the NOC to collaborate in the best interest of the athletes.

He added that his office expects the GNOC to go to elections before the end of the year.

The minister expressed his appreciation to Jerome and the Olympic Solidarity for the support they have been giving to GNOC.

While expressing the need for more assistance especially in the area of infrastructure and technical support and training, Minister Badjie also asked that more consideration be given for athlete scholarship to the high performance centers.

He informed him of his ministry's willingness to work with the GNOC but expressed the need for the members of the NOC to be exposed more on the Olympic Charter and the GNOC Constitution. This he believes would help avoid unnecessary misunderstanding by the stakeholders of the NOC.

Mr Jerome confirmed that the GNOC can look at the Olympafrica for infrastructural development and it was agreed that the GNOC and the Ministry will look at the modalities of this upon their return.