By: Omar Jatta
The Five day FIFA Sponsored Referee training course organised by the Gambia Football Federation came to a close on Tuesday 5th April, 2016 at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.
The Course designed for Member Associations by the World Football Governing Body, FIFA, was attended by twenty eight top flight Gambian referees, including Four FIFA inducted Women referees.
At the Closing ceremony, the GFF President Lamin Kabba Bajo, who also is also the co-chairman of the Referees Committee, congratulated the participants for their stamina in passing the physical fitness test which according to him was the highest accolade after no reported failures have been recorded.
“Your presence here is based on merit and not longevity,” he told the Referees, before calling for their continued hard work and dedication in preserving high standards and their integrity towards maintenance of fairness in the game.
“You have to work very hard because we have our leagues and international engagements where people are observing you and therefore we cannot compromise with quality and standards.
The GFF President also challenged The Gambia Referee’s Committee to increase the number of female officials in the game.
“I challenge my Referee Committee to increase the number of women referees in the next FIFA list of Referees,” added Mr Bajo.
Also present at the closing event was the GFF Executive adviser Alh. Omar Sey, commended the Football Federation for their supporting Gambian referees in efforts to maintain high standards in the game, before also offering his vote of thanks to the Course instructors for sharing the knowledge designed to improve the match officials understanding of the rules and laws of the game.
“I want to thank the GFF for their support to Gambian refereeing and I must say that I am very proud of that initiative,” he said.
The Course Director and FIFA Referee Development Officer Carlos Henrique also called on the referees to keep striving to meet CAF’s ambition to get more elite referees on their list.
“We are looking for more elite referees on the CAF list and therefore you must work extra hard so that we can have more men and ladies on the merit list,” Said Mr Henrique, who went on to also thank the GFF for the support given to referees. He thanked his colleagues Mr Joseph Wellington who instructed on technical matters and Mr Mark Mzengo on the fitness test for assisting him in conducting the course and for their support and collaboration during the five day programme.
He also noted the training was part of a continuous process, saying: “the end of the course does not mean the end of refereeing.”
The standard bearer for The Gambia and The Gambian referees, the two time winner of the CAF Referee of the Year award, Mr Bakary Papa Gassama delivered the vote of thanks by firstly applauding the GFF for the good relationship and the support they extend to the refereeing community, before Thanking both CAF and FIFA for facilitating the training programme.
“I want to thank GFF for the good relationship and the support they extend to the refereeing community. I would also like to thank CAF and FIFA for the support and the training program given to us,” said Mr Gassama. Adding: “and not forgetting the government of the Gambia through the Ministry of Youth and sports.”
All of the Twenty eight referees who attended the training were awarded certificates for passing a fitness test at the opening of the course. The course was locally supervised by GFF Referee Manager Alhagie Adama Mbye.
Source: Gambia Football Federation
