WPPO mourns the losses of Gideon Griffiths and Modou Gamo

A highly respected and experienced ITO, Griffiths officiated at all major events in the sport; Gamo represented Gambia in three World Para Powerlifting Championships 09 Mar 2026

A split image of a man in grey suit and a Para powerlifting athlete

Griffiths (left) at the 2018 European Championships and Gamo competing at the 2021 World Championships

ⒸFlorent Perville (L) and Hiroki Nishioka (R)

By World Para Powerlifting

World Para Powerlifting is deeply saddened by the passing of International Technical Official (ITO) Gideon Griffiths and Gambian athlete Modou Gamo.

A highly respected and experienced ITO, Griffiths officiated at all major events in the sport, including the Paralympic Games and World Championships. Before beginning the refereeing career, he was also an athlete, representing Wales in Para powerlifting at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (CWG). He later served as the Welsh Para powerlifting coach at the 2010 CWG in New Delhi.

Alongside his wife Jayne, Griffiths dedicated his time to volunteering for the British Weightlifting Association for the Disabled (BWAD) and WheelPower at Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement.

“Gideon was a dedicated and highly respected ITO, and his contribution to Para Powerlifting over the years has left a lasting mark on our sport. He gave so much of his time and expertise to ensure the highest standards at competitions, and his presence will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of working alongside him,” said Massimo Dighe, Acting Head of World Para Powerlifting.

Modou Gamo was not only an athlete. He used his international career to inspire and encourage more persons with disabilities to try the sport. Gamo represented Gambia in three editions of the World Para Powerlifting Championships: Nur-Sultan 2019, Tbilisi 2021 and Dubai 2023.

He also competed at the African Open Championships in Algiers 2018 and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

“Modou was a valued and respected member of our global Para powerlifting community, and the news of his loss has deeply saddened all of us here at WPPO. His dedication to the sport, his commitment to representing Gambia with pride, and the resilience he demonstrated as an athlete will not be forgotten,” Dighe said.

World Para Powerlifting shares its heartfelt condolences with the family and friends of Griffiths and Gamo.

WPPO held a minute of silence in their memory at the European Open Championships taking place in Tbilisi, Georgia.