The minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Sheriff Gomez, said there are pertinent issues in sports that need to be looked into, hence the need for the forthcoming sports conference where issues relating to sports development will be debated.

Gomez said his ministry is set to  define what The Gambia wants to achieve in sports development and the direction that should be taken to expose the country through mass participation. Speaking to journalists yesterday at his office in Banjul, Mr Gomez revealed that it is a considered view of his ministry and the interim committee of the National Sports Council to put in place a mechanism that will ensure that excellence in sports is attained.

He added that the forthcoming national sports conference, which is fixed between July 8 and July 9, 2009, will be an ideal venue to correct certain issues that continue to retard our sports development.  "There are pertinent issues in sports that need to be looked into," he said. "We taught we needed to look at issues that are affecting or creating impediments towards sports development in this country and it is in this regard that we taught a sports conference of this nature must be put in place." The Youth and Sports supremo outlined that an impressive achievements have been gained in sports development, especially in the area of infrastructure and football, but noted that a lot remains to be done.

On the new policy that will be unveiled during the two-day July conference at the Paradise Suites Hotel, Mr Gomez said: "Experts have looked at the policy and they remarked that it is a fantastic document. The only problem we have in The Gambia is implementing what we have on papers." "The government alone cannot develop sports, but rather the maximum support of all stake holders, including national associations and media fraternity is very much needed," he said.