By Fatou Sillah
The Gambia’s minister of youth and sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, has expressed concern over athletes who fail to return home after traveling abroad for international competitions, warning that such cases could make it more difficult for other Gambian athletes to secure visas.
In an interview with Teledal TV, Mr. Badjie said the government regularly assists national teams traveling overseas, including by working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications. Sports clubs traveling for international competitions can also receive official letters confirming their participation, he said.
But some athletes, Mr. Badjie said, have used those opportunities to remain abroad rather than return to The Gambia after their competitions.
“Government invests money in athletes, facilitates visas for them, and then they go and abscond, and that is also what is affecting them,” he said.
Mr. Badjie said such incidents can have consequences beyond the athletes involved, potentially prompting foreign embassies to scrutinize future visa applications from Gambian sports teams more closely.
He cited several recent cases, including members of The Gambia’s national beach volleyball team who traveled to the Netherlands after qualifying for the World Championship. The government assisted the team with its visa arrangements, he said, but three of the four members who traveled did not return home.
Mr. Badjie also referred to separate incidents involving a Gambian sports club and a team that traveled to Scotland. Two athletes from the Scotland trip, he said, also failed to return.
Despite those cases, Mr. Badjie said the government would continue supporting athletes traveling abroad to represent the country. He said the government’s role was to create opportunities for athletes while seeking to ensure that the actions of a few individuals did not jeopardize those opportunities for others.
The minister also outlined efforts to attract more private investment into Gambian sports, including new tax incentives intended to reduce the sector’s dependence on government funding.
Mr. Badjie said football is now recognized as an eligible investment sector, allowing investors who meet the required threshold to qualify for a Special Investment Certificate and its associated benefits.
Companies that invest in sports may also claim tax exemptions on qualifying contributions, he said. The incentives are available to tax-paying businesses across sectors, including banks, telecommunications companies, and real estate firms.
The measures, Mr. Badjie said, are intended to encourage businesses to play a greater role in financing sports and expanding opportunities for Gambian athletes.
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