Sambou performed exceptionally well to earn the instructor’s status awarded by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Speaking at a ceremony he was unveiled, the FIBA referee instructor, Mr. Sang Marie Sambou, said it was a challenging endeavor but with focus and dedication he was able to make it.
He said getting the accreditation is one thing but keeping it is another challenge as that will depend on his performance at national level.
“With the support of GBA I need to come up with referees’ training programme and conduct training for local referees and report back to FIBA and based on those programmes and reports, I will be evaluated and assigned to conduct training in other parts of Africa,” he said.
The secretary general of the Gambia Basketball Association, Mr Abdulie Jallow, said the entire Basketball family is proud of Sang Marie Sambou’s performance because according to him, this will surely add values to the development of the game in the Gambia.
For his part the President of Gambia Basketball Association (GBA) Muhamadou Papa Njie thanked the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) for financing Mr Sambou’s trip to Tunisia.
He added that their objective as a National Association is to build capacity of their members.
He said refereeing is a key component in the development of the game and with Mr Sambou’s accreditation they will have the chance to multiply Basketball referees in the country.
Dilating on the role of The Gambia National Olympic Committee, the first Vice President of GNOC and IOC member Beatrice Allen revealed that National Olympic Committees do not run Associations but they are like funding agent to help Sports Associations in their development programmes.
She said National Associations have to come up with programs including capacity building for their members to get assistance of the National Olympic Committee but priority has been given to Olympic Sports.
Gambia IOC Member once again urged the National Associations to get to the Schools to tape new and young talents for sustainability reasons.
Source: Namory Trawally
Information Assistant-GNOC