ICC/ACA sponsored governance course held

An ICC/ACA sponsored governance course organised by the Gambia Cricket Association (GCA) for clubs and national associations was yesterday held at the July 22nd Square in Banjul.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Johnny Gomez, president of the GCA, called on associations to network and learn together as partners in sports development in the country.

He also called on associations to capacitise their people, while thanking Dodou ‘Capi’ Joof, president of the Gambia Athletics Association, and Mary Pedro Decka, Development Officer at the Gambia National Olympic Committee, for their support towards the GCA.

George Greywoode, PRO of the GCA, said he hoped at the end of the course everybody would be equipped with knowledge, adding that the aim of the course is to get them to know about cricket governance.

“The aim is to get all associations together to learn from one another as we are inter-related,” he added.

Dodou ‘Capi’ Joof, president of the Gambia Athletics Association, said their role as veteran sports persons is to help develop all sports in the country, which he said can easily be done if they cooperate as national associations.

Sport cannot be developed without proper human resources, training coaches and developing the grassroots, he noted, saying cricket is in the right direction.

He also stated that sport is not just within the Greater Banjul Area, but that “we have to go as far back as at schools, which is the grassroots.“This is what the cricket association is doing,” he said.

He described the course as very important as far as sports development is concerned.

Abdou Aziz Titao Mendy, Development Officer at the National Sports Council, said the Council is always proud of associations that take seriously the sports policy to ensure sport is developed in the right direction, which the cricket association is doing.

There is progress in cricket, he remarked, adding: “If you are in line with the sports policy you have the full support of government.”

“Cricket is in the right direction,” he went on while assuring the association of government’s support.

Author: Cherno Omar Bobb

Source: Picture: Johnny Gomez