Somali government officials, president of the national
Olympic committee, Somali FA president and members of his executive committee,
Somali Football stakeholders, presidents of national sporting federations and
national sporting associations, former and current Ocean stars members and
referees including old and active referees have all gathered at a luncheon at
the Lido Sea Food restaurants in the Lido Beach resort of Mogadishu on Sunday to
show support for the Somali FA and to thank CAF for awarding Somalia.
Former Somali FA vice president, Abdulkadir Mohamud Abdulle, who addressed at the appreciation ceremony, said it was a historic moment for Somalia to have its FA boss presented the African football leader of the year award.
"It is a very great experience in Somalia’s football
history. I am really very happy and I don’t know what more I can say. All
Somali people are with you in all your endeavors to develop our football” said
Mr. Abdulle who served as SFF vice president from 2001 to 2005.
SFF senior vice president Ali Abdi Mohamed added that the
good governance award presented to president Abdiqani Said Arab will encourage
the country’s football federation members to redouble their efforts. He announced that the SFF has drawn a special
rehabilitation program for the street boys and child soldiers to build a good
future for them.
The president of Somali National Olympic Committee,
Abdullahi Aahmed Tarabi said it was a great and historic achievement for
Somalia that its football federation was awarded by the African football
governing body CAF for good governance and the development of football in a
country where it was impossible to do such work.
"Our sport is lacking the government’s role because the
world sport goes with financial support from their governments. I hope we will
soon be securing huge support from our government and I am sure if we get the kind
of support we need from our government, Somalia sport will grow more” Somali
NOC president Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi told the gathering.
The chief of Somalia’s correction troops and former international
football referee, Major General Bashir Mohmed Jama, said he was commending the
Somali Football Federation for wining a prestigious award.
"I am one of the football volunteers and I know that Somali
FA has been working under very hard circumstances. They are hard-working
heroes. It is a great publicity for the entire Somali people that our football federation
was awarded by CAF for their good governance. This is really something that we
are all proud of” General Jama told the appreciation ceremony.
CECAFA vice president
and the president of Somali FA Abdiqani Said Arab who finally addressed at the
gathering praised the country’s football family for showing their appreciation
with the new approaches.
The president said that the [leader of the year award]
given to his federation through him was giving Somalia a moral boost. "This will
encourage us to increase our efforts "he said.
"On behalf of the Somali Football Family, I would like to
send my heart-felt greetings and a big thank you to the president of CAF Issa
Hayatou and his executive committee for leading African football to more progress
and for honoring Somalia to be given such high profile award” SFF president
told the ceremony.
President Abdiqani Said Arab also praised CAF secretary
General Hicham El Amrani and his secretariat team for always being concerned and
well-informed about football activities throughout the continent and in particularly
that in Somalia.
The president thanked his executive committee members, secretariat and the stakeholders for their joint efforts in the promotion of football in the country.
"I recognize the SFF media department for the big role
they played in our football. Without them the outside world wouldn’t have known
what we are doing here, so our media team was the main drive for Somalia
getting this high level ward from CAF” the president announced.
"Our media team has developed a very healthy relationship
with both local and international media who also have helped us put our
activities before international audience” SFF president Abdiqani Said Arab
said.
At the end, President Arab, lead a remembrance session to
pray for the late Somali FA presidents: Said Mohamud Nur and Farha Addo and
those who lead the federation before them including Nur Hussein Abdi, who was
one time known as the father of Somalia’s sport.
Somali
Football Federation Media Department
Email:info@somsoccer.com