GFF President Receives Gambian Students from Islamic University of Medina

By JarranewsTV Staff Writer

KANIFING – The President of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo, on Monday welcomed a delegation of Gambian students from the Islamic University of Medina, Saudi Arabia, at Football House in Kanifing. The visiting students included members of a football team that represented The Gambia at the annual Islamic University of Medina Football World Cup, a prestigious knockout-style tournament featuring student teams from 64 nations. The Gambian side has emerged as champions in the last two editions of the competition.

Led by their coach, Muhammed Lamin Njie, and team president Muhammed Tabally, the delegation presented the championship trophy to Mr. Bajo in appreciation of the Federation's role in the development of football in The Gambia. Speaking during the visit, Tabally expressed gratitude to President Bajo for granting them an audience and lauded the GFF’s continued efforts in nurturing the sport across all levels. “We are proud of what the Federation has achieved and grateful for the support shown to us,” he said.

Coach Njie echoed similar sentiments, describing the tournament as a key outlet for Gambian students in Saudi Arabia to remain connected to home through sport. He appealed for support in the form of training equipment and team jerseys to help the squad prepare for future competitions. GFF’s Director of Finance, Mr. Kemo Ceesay, commended the students for their consistent success and praised them as exemplary ambassadors of The Gambia abroad. He assured the team of the Federation’s willingness to strengthen ties and improve communication with the student players. In his remarks, President Bajo expressed pride in the students’ achievements and acknowledged their dedication to representing The Gambia with honor. Drawing from his experience as a former Gambian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, he emphasized the value of such exchanges and the importance of supporting Gambians in the diaspora.

Mr. Bajo also outlined the GFF’s operational structure, noting that while the Federation is a privately run entity funded primarily by FIFA, it also receives complementary support from the Gambian government—particularly for the senior national team. He assured the students of the GFF’s readiness to support their efforts and promised to provide a set of jerseys to aid their participation in future tournaments. The meeting concluded with a reaffirmed commitment to fostering collaboration between the GFF and Gambian students abroad, especially those using sport as a tool for national representation.