 |
| Sports Minister Alieu K. Jammeh |
The
Gambia’s Sports Ministry last week revived the ill-fated February 12, 2011
elections of Gambia National Olympic Committee, GNOC, by calling it “a farce.”
The
Government’s stance followed the release of findings by a sports tribunal it
setup to look into last year’s GNOC elections which saw Mr. Alhagie Momodou
Dibba take the reins at the expense of Mr. Abdoulie Bax Touray who boycotted
the polls.
“Such
an election without the supervision of the National Sports Council which is
mandated to do so by law could best be described as a farce. The credibility of
the election of February 12, 2011 was largely diminished as a result of voting
by non- eligible voters,” the ministry said on Tuesday.
“The
Council shall ensure the election of an Olympic committee in accordance with
the Olympic Charter for the purpose of ensuring The Gambia’s effective
representation at each Olympic Games and for carrying out functions relating
thereto,” the Ministry added in its June 12 statement.
The
ministry also warns it will take “appropriate, responsive and responsible
action” in due course and it will ensure that the sports fraternity is
thoroughly restructured to end once and for all what it called the “endless
bickering” hampering the meaningful development of sports in this country.
IOC warning
However,
48 hours later, the Swiss-based offices of the world’s Olympic sports governing
body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a letter told the GNOC “this
so-called sports tribunal appointed by a government body has no authority to
interfere with the internal operations of your NOC, including election
process.”
The
IOC takes a dim view of governmental interference in the affairs of national
Olympic committees (NOCs) which enjoys autonomy.
The
IOC NOC Relations Director, Pere Miro noted they are aware that Gambia Sports
Ministry-appointed sport tribunal has issued a number of recommendations
questioning the outcome and results of last year’s GNOC general assembly.
The
IOC reiterated the fundamental principle of autonomy of the NOCs, saying “an NOC
is not a public or government body.” It
added that Gambia’s national sports legislations are incompatible with the
basic principles of the Olympic Charter, should such existing rules give power
to government authorities to interfere with the internal operations of the
country’s NOC.
While
exhorting for the revision of the sporting laws of the Gambia, the IOC and
the Association of National Olympics Committees of Africa (Anoca) said they’ll immediately react and take appropriate measures to protect
the autonomy of the GNOC in accordance with Rule 27.9 of the Olympic Charter,
should the government take concrete measures against it.
Rule
27.9 of the Olympic Charter which states: Apart from the measures and
sanctions provided in the case of infringement of the Olympic Charter, the IOC
executive board may take any appropriate decisions for the protection of the
Olympic Movement in the country of an NOC including suspension of, or
withdrawal of recognition from such NOC if the constitution, law or other
regulations in force in the country concerned, or any act by any governmental
or other body causes the activity of the NOC or the making or expression of its
will to be hampered.
London threat
The
IOC said it will not be forced to take measures which would regrettably affect
the representation of the Gambian delegation and athletes in the London 2012
Games which are fast approaching. But hopes that the government authorities of
will understand the “seriousness” of this issue.
Meanwhile,
the legal counsel of the GNOC, Ida Drameh, has filed a suit in the high court
against the sports tribunal report seeking among other things to establish the
independence of the GNOC, the local The Standard Newspaper reported on Thursday.
Background
 |
| GNOC President Alhagie Momodou Dibba |
The
protracted GNOC elections was first scheduled for October 20, 2010 but was called-off
by the National Sports Council after allegations of possible violations of the
constitution and inaccurate voter list.
This
followed a stalemate prompting the National Assembly Select Committee on Sports
to intervene by conducting an independent inquiry into the allegations and come
up with a Report, which scheduled February 12, 2011 as the election
date.
The
speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Abdoulie Bojang noted that “the decision
of the relevant Select Committee of Parliament is not subject to review or
approval by any other Authority, Body or Court.”
“And
your non-compliance may tantamount to a contempt of the National Assembly as in
provisions of sections, (102), (109-03) and (110) respectively of the 1997
Constitution,” he said in response to the Sports Ministry’s call for a review
of its decision for the elections to go ahead.
 |
| Alhagie Bax Touray boycotted the February 2011 elections |
On
February 12, 2011, the General Body of The Gambia National Olympic Committee
(GNOC) voted 26-0 to fill the vacant position left by former president, Lt. Gen.
Langtombong Tamba who was arrested, charged to court and convicted of plotting
a coup.
The
elections came 15 months after Tamba’s incarceration in November 2009. Out of 47
votes, eight associations with double votes, and 10 associations and
individuals with single votes casted their ballot for Alhagie Momodou Dibba,
giving him a total of 26 votes. The remaining 21, including associations with
double and single votes and individual voters along with presidential hopeful
Abdoulie Bax Touray boycotted the polls.
Shortly
afterwards, Bax Touray and his supporters decided to petitioned the Independent
Electoral Commission which oversee the election process and the Sport Ministry,
challenging the manner in which the February 12, 2011 elections was conducted.
“The
list of voters unilaterally presented to the IEC by the GNOC for the aborted 20th
October 2010 elections was inaccurate and unconstitutional,” Touray said
in a petition.
By Modou S. Joof
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