Second Chinese language basic course wraps up

Our Mandarin Class

Ninety students from different walks of life recently concluded the second batch of the Mandinarin basic course conducted at the GNPC building on Bertil Harding Highway sponsored by the Taiwanese Embassy in The Gambia as part of the bilateral relations between the two nations.

In an interview with MarketPlace, Mrs Carring, an Overseas Volunteer from Taiwan to lecture the Mandarin Language in The Gambia University and the Taiwanese Cultural Centre, said the cultural centre is established by their Ambassador to The Gambia His Excellency Samuel Chen in March 2012.

Stay out, or else..., Sports Minister tells feuding GNOC camps

Sports minister Alieu Jammeh

Sports minister Alieu Jammeh yesterday urged the GNOC leadership and its feuding partner, the opposition camp, to quit running or having any interest in running the National Olympic Committee, since both sides have demonstrated that they cannot work in unity and are derailing the massive financial and human resource investment government and President Yahya Jammeh, in particular, have been doing to uplift sports in the country.  

‘Since 2008 to date, a colossal D100 million has been spent by the president and his government in sport,’ Jammeh told journalists at a press conference, adding that the current bickering and negative developments such as the GNOC saga are not helping the nation.

‘For far too long we have been asking for common sense in the GNOC matter. Government has been very patient, engaging and seeking unity of purpose in sports throughout the country, but the response had not been positive. 

Gambia’s hope of qualifying for 2014 dash by Ivory Coast

The Gambia Scorpions

The Gambia’s hope of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has been dashed on Sunday after loosing three nil in the hands of African Elephants Ivory Coast in the second round qualifying campaign of the 2014 tournament. Gambia's World Cup Qualifier against Ivory Coast ended with the Elephants' emphatic mauling over the Scorpions.

Goals from Bony five minutes after the resumption from a penalty spot put the Elephants ahead with an early second half lead, before Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure  scored the second goal eight minutes later with a header between two Gambian defenders out of cross sent in from the right side of the pitch. Former Chelsea winger  Salomon Kalou seal the scores with the third goal in the 70^th minute when Arsenal influential player maker  Geivinho set him from a brilliant pass after drivel passing four Gambian player to set him in the box.

GNOC elections put on hold as High Court orders injunction against Saturday’s congress

Jammed and Dibba

The High Court presided over by Justice E. F. Mbai yesterday issued an injunction in favour of three plaintiffs, restraining the holding of elections into the Gambia National Olympic Committee, GNOC, executive bureau planned for tomorrow Saturday the 23rd March.

The plaintiffs are Sheriff Jammeh, Jonny Gomez and Alieu Jallow and the defendants are Momodou Dibba, Beatrice Allen and Peter Prom.

  The injunction filed in the High Court by lawyer Badou SM Conteh representing the plaintiffs reads:

Sulayman Kuyateh: Gambian referees need to change their attitudes

The head coach of Brikama United FC Sulayman Kuyateh, said “Gambian referees need to change their attitudes if they want to progress. Some Gambian referees need to go for proper training in other to call fairly because the way some of them officiate matches is very bad.” The coach even went as far as calling on some referees to leave football and become wrestling officials. 

He blame the referee for the draw and was very much disappointed with his attitude.  The coach even went as far as calling on some referees to leave football and become wrestling officials. Sulayman Kuyateh made this remark on Sunday In a post-match interview with sport reporters after his 1-1 draw with the hotel boys Seaview Fc on Sunday.

Second Division League set for Thursday

The long awaited  Gambia Second Division League is set to begin Thursday with promotion back to the top flight on the minds of some of the clubs. Record Gambian champions, Banjul Wallidan, will be hoping for a strong start to the campaign in order to make a quick return, after their shock relegation from the top flight last season.

The Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Association announced the development regarding the second tier campaign after arrangements have been finalised in the drawing of fixtures and other logistics.

Kebba Yoro Manneh to run for GFA presidency

Kebba Yoro Manneh

Veteran sports administrator and former secretary general of the Gambia Football Association, Kebba Yoro Manneh, has announced he will contest the GFA presidential elections, next month.

Speaking exclusively to The Point, Mr Manneh said that based on his long standing experience in the dynamics of Gambian sport, both in and outside office, he believes his priorities are not misplaced when he asks for stakeholders to trust him to lead the national game.

Sports Tribunal was to independently establish facts in GNOC row - Minister Jammeh

Youth and Sports Minister: Alieu Jammeh

As part of his quest to seek reconciliation and unity among sports associations affiliated to the Gambia National Olympic Committee, GNOC, Sports minister Alieu Jammeh, for the first time, publicly revealed the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Sports Tribunal, which looked into the GNOC elections of 2011.

According to the minister, the move was part of his ministry’s drive to establish the truth of the matter through independent investigation by neutral people, following persistent unhealthy wrangling and even accusations against the Ministry for allegedly siding with one side.

The tribunal spent weeks looking through volumes of GNOC and IOC documents, as well as interviewing dozens of people, before coming up with a comprehensive report and recommendations for action.

YOUTH AND SPORTS MINISTER BID FAREWELL TO SCORPIONS

Gambia Senior National Team (Scorpion)

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Alieu K Jammeh on Saturday 16^th March, 2013 bade farewell to the Gambia National football team ahead of their much anticipated World Cup Qualifier against the Elephants of Ivory Coast. The Youths and Sport minister on behalf of His Excellency the President Sheikh Prof Dr Alh Yahya AJJ Jammeh and entire cabinet wished the Scorpions well and good luck in their crucial contest in Abidjan. ‘You would do yourself and your country well if you stay dedicated and committed because the His Excellency has a big heart for the youths of this country and you could be rewarded by the president if you do huger favour for the country’.

Jammeh: work effectively and efficiently or leave for good

Minister Alieu K. Jammeh

The minister of youth and sports has challenged sports stakeholders to work effectively and efficiently or stay out of the administration of sport in The Gambia for good.

Sports minister Alieu Jammeh stressed that members of sports associations “are not working as a family” within their associations. 

He was addressing this issue at a meeting with members of the sports associations, at the Friendship Hostel at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, on Tuesday. 

We are going to Tunis to play football and to win: Gamtel coach

Tapha Manneh, head coach of Gamtel FC, has said they are going to Tunisia “not to defend but to play football and win” when they face CSS of Tunisia in the CAF Confederation Cup to be played in the weekend of 15, 16 and 17 March in Tunis.

Gamtel are set to leave the country today for Tunisia, head coach Manneh said while he was speaking following his side’s 2-0 win over Hawks FC in their week-eight fixture of the GFA first division league played at the Serrekunda East Mini Stadium.

YMCA beat Wallidan in basketball league

YMCA basketball team has beaten Wallidan 47-36 points, to stay three points lead ahead of their title contenders Wallidan, at the Manneh Sillah Memorial Basketball Court in Banjul last weekend.

The winners were very impressive in the first quarter of the game, with their fans cheering them up. They were defensively better than their opponents in the game.

YMCA continued their magnificent performance in the second quarter of the game, with a 34-18-point win over Wallidan. The game was very attractive, in terms of skillful play from both sides, especially YMCA with their young talented players. 

Roundup of First Division League

Interior FC coach Ebrima Manneh

Ebrima Manneh’s Interior secured their first win in the ongoing Gambia First Division League with a 2-0 scalp of a resurgent Gambia Armed Forces in a game played at the Box Bar Mini-Stadium in Brikama.

Abou Sanyang scored the first goal four minutes into the second half while Momodou Camara scored to put the result beyond the reach of El Hadji Sey’s Armed Forces in the 54th minute. Camara capitalised on a mistake by defender Ismaila Loppy whose partial clearance was intercepted by giant striker Toubabo who fed his fellow forward.

Garawol FC snatch 1-0 over Madina Samako in SDK Tourney

Sise Sawaneh: The Author

The Upper River Region power house Garawol FC on Monday snatched a 1-0 victory in the expense of  Madina Samako FC in the knock-out satge of the ongoing Soumpou Doo-Khatti (SDK) annual football tournament played at the Serekunda West mini stadium.

The first half of the thrilling encounter ended goalless in which both teams played tireless to score their opponents in the first period.

The only goal scored in the game to seperate the two sides came courtesy of Balemeh Ceesay for Garawol FC few minutes after the resumption of the second half. A moment later Madina Samako was reduce to ten men when Abdoulie Sillah was sentoff in the 73^rd minute for un-sports man behavior.

Sports for Health start tomorrow

This yaer’s Sports for Health events  is slated to start tomorrow Saturday and Sunday on the  9 and 10 March 2013 at the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium, and the event will be featuring members of the judiciary, the legislature and the executive, as well as civil servants, politicians and the business community.

At a press conference held on Tuesday at the boardroom of the Independence Stadium in Bakau, the Deputy Director of Youth and Sports Sutay Jawo, has said the 2nd Sports for Health initiative is meant to create good friendship among workers of the various sectors in the vcountry as they get to know one another. Jawo called on all interested people to come on board to participate in the match-pass from the Africell junction to the Serrekunda Mini Stadium at 3pm on Saturday.

GAMTEL FACE TUNISIA’S CS SFAXIEN IN CONFED CUP

Gamtel FC

Gambia’s last remaining team in continental club competition, Gamtel FC, will play Tunisian side Club Sportif Sfaxien in the first round proper of the African Confederations Cup after their prelimanary round progress at the weekend MarketPlace sports desk can confirmed.

The telecomunication boys who won the last three consecutive FA Cup titles secured a 5-2 aggregate win over Senegalese Cup winnerss Asslem Wakam at the weekend to book a place in the next stage of the competition. Defending a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Banjul a fortnight ago, Tapha Manneh’s team beat their hosts 3-1 on the night.

Asko Kara FC’s Liberian born to secure contract with Steve Biko

Andre Randall Mouses, Asko Kara FC player

The full left centre back of Nigeria’s top and famous first division league side Asko Kara FC, Andre Randall Mouses, is hopeful of securing a contract and playing career with Gambian Premier League side Steve Biko later this year.

Andre, 22, and 1.70m light, is a Liberian born national currently playing for Asko Kara FC of Nigeria where he has been playing regularly in the first starting line-up for the club throughout the seasons since joining the team in the two different categories over the years.

He joined the club side first in the junior category from 2004 to 2007 before graduating to the senior side the following year, and won himself a first choice player in the left centre back.

Apart from his regular position in the field, Andre also plays midfield and attacking front and he could also wear the shoes of a central defender.

Tijan Jaiteh task authorities for more friendlies

Tijan Jaiteh

Gambia’s hopful midfielder Tijan Jaiteh has called on the football authorities to organise more test games for the Scorpions in order to prepare well for competitive outings. The Sandefjord midfielder was speaking to Journalists in a pose match  interview after playing the whole game in their shock 2-0 loss to Mauritania on Wednesday.

He said: “Most of the players are young but I hope the second friendly against the same team on Saturday will be different. I hope they will rectify the mistakes because it is a young team, but we will talk to them to see better improvement.”

Lack of experience result to our defeat

Gambian Coach Luciano Mancini

Scorpions head coach Luciano Mancini has blamed lack of experience for his side’s poor  performance in the 2-0 defeat against the Maurabitones of Mauritania in a fiendly international played at the Independence Stadium on Wednesday.
 He made this remark on pose match press conference on Wednesday who is yet to have even a since victory as the head coach of The Gambia since taking over from his assitant Peter Bonu Johnson sometimes last year.

He said: “Experience was the problem. Some of them this was the first time [they are] playing in such a match. This was the problem. For the next game we will try and bring new players into the team.”

The Mauritanians played their gameplan to perfection and refused to allow the Scorpions space to play their normal game and Mancini admitted they were outclassed by their visitors