The courses which are part of SFF’s regional football
development scheme through the [Spread the football] initiative, have gathered
85 trainees who are 40 referees, 30 coaches and 15 football administrators from
regions in the semiautonomous Somali state of Puntland.
The program is meant to pave the way for the country’s first
ever regional football leagues which as planed will be launched in the 2nd half
of 2016 and will take place in all regional states in the country.
The inauguration of the regional leagues was one of several
development initiatives announced by the Somali Football Federation president,
Abdiqani Said Arab, during his post election address just a year ago.
Secretary General of the Puntland Branch football
association, Abdulkader Ali Dahir, who first addressed at the launching
ceremony of the development courses, said that Somali FA had spent a plenty of
efforts, time and money to organize the development courses.
He urged the trainees to give much attention to the lessons
being delivered during the courses. "These courses are very much important for
the development of our football, so I urge you to concentrate on your lectures.
When you are all back to your respected districts, we expect you to act as
ambassadors in the field of developing the game” Mr. Dahir told the trainees
during his address on Saturday.
On his side, the chairman of the football association in the
Puntland Branch, Mr. Abdishakur Mohamed Yusuf, said that the development courses
will play a big role in the the region’s football promotion, adding that
through the beautiful game, his association will give the youths awareness
against the dangerous trips which left thousands of youths death in the
Mediterranean Sea over the years.
Somali Football Federation education officer, Ali Mohamed
Ahmed, who addressed at the launching ceremony of the program, said that
education is the necessary basement for the development of the game.
"FIFA and CAF give much priority to the development of
education because the human resource is the main drive for the football
promotion and as SFF, we decided to develop our people, because when we have
educated people, we can promote the game” SFF education officer, Ali Mohamed
Ahmed, said in his address.
Somali NOC executive committee member, Fadumo Ali Nur, said
she was very happy to be witnessing the launching of this huge development
program adding that Somali Football Federation was praiseworthy for the
organization of the development courses. She urged the federal government of Somali and the regional
State to invest the country’s sport which is now recovering from years of
conflicts.
Director General of the Puntland ministry of sport, Ahmed
Abdalla, thanked Somali Football Federation for the development of football
throughout the country, adding that his ministry will join hands with SFF in
its efforts to develop the game.
Somali FA vice president, Abdullahi Sheik Nur, said it was a great pleasure for his federation to inaugurate the development courses in the Puntland State adding that the program was to pave the way for the upcoming regional football leagues in the country. "Now we have an interim regional football association here in Puntland which will be in office for one year before we hold the first local football election in the Puntland state” the SFF vice president noted.
Somali FA senior vice president, Ali Abdi Mohamed, said it
was the first time that the SFF organizes development courses for 85 people at
the same time. He said it was SFF’s commitment to expand football into every
tinny village in the country, adding that the courses were part of his
federation’s [Spread the football] initiative. He praised the minister of sport of the Puntland State for
developing a very healthy relationship and cooperation with the Somali Football
Federation.
Finally the minister for youth and sport of the Puntland
State of Somalia Mr. Abdirahman Sheik Ahmed urged the participants to benefit
from the courses before announcing that the three development program was open.
Somali Football
Federation Media Department
Email: info@somsoccer.com