The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) on Thursday September 1, opened a six-day FIFA Member Association (MA) referees training course at the home of Gambian football, the National Technical Training Centre in Old Yundum.
The course, that began with a fitness test in the morning, brings together 30 elite referees and assistant referees selected from the domestic league that includes four women FIFA badge holders. It will end of 6th September, 2022.
Presiding over the opening ceremony, GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo congratulated the participants for their deserved selection in what he described as another milestone capacity building program. He reiterated the GFF’s commitment to refereeing, to increase the already existing quality in order to surpass “our expectations as enshrined in our manifesto.” Mr Bajo reassured the referees of his leadership’s resolve to provide and create the environment for enriching their knowledge.
Speaking earlier, the Course Director Abdul Basit thanked the GFF for the giant strides achieved in football, particularly refereeing. He singled out Bakary Papa Gassama as an example of how Gambia is acclaimed in refereeing and thus urged the participants to interact during the period in order to share experiences.
Local instructors Bubacarr Jallow and Chairman of The Gambia Referees Association, John Frank Mendy both thanked the GFF for always supporting referees, especially in the area of capacity building.
The official opening was preceded by a standing ovation by the referees to congratulate Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo for his landslide victory in the recently concluded Elective Congress of the GFF and as his election as the new WAFU Zone A President.
