Somali FA meets with local football journalists

The Somali Football Federation (SFF) on Thursday held a lengthy-meeting with local Football commentators during which the Somali Football federation praised the journalists for presenting the local leagues to the outside world, in the presence of members from Somali NOC and officials from Somali youth and sports ministry.

Somali Football Federation Press officer and CECAFA media committee member Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar (Islow) who first addressed at the meeting said that football and media workers are twins and without press the sounds of Somali football activities would have confined only to the spectators at stadiums.

“I am very happy that the Somali Football Federation became the first sporting organization in Somalia to hold such precious congregation for media workers—you know we had always invited you while we have opening or closing ceremonies or other programs, but today we invited you to this honor luncheon so this shows that we as SFF have a great consideration for you” the Mr. Shafi’i Mohyaddin told Thursday’s congregation.

Chairman of Somali Football Federation sub committee for competitions affairs Ali Abdi Mohamed outlined some detailed information about the on going division one soccer championship whose second leg will start on Friday.

“Up to know our competition is going on smoothly and we are very hopeful that we will have a successful conclusion for the second leg” Mohamed told the congregation.

Somali National Olympic committee executive committee member Abokar Islow Hassan urged the media to give more time to local sport and create extra sport talk show programs as kind of encouragement for young footballers in Somalia.

The president of Somali Football Federation Said Mahmoud Nur said that it was a great pleasure for his federation to organize such meeting with local football writers on the eve of division one soccer championship second leg which will start on Friday.

“We are only working in the field of football, but who presents what we are doing to the outside world is you so today we have called you to this meeting intended to enhance the cooperation between media and the Somali Football Family—we will organize such meetings once in every six months” the president said.

“We are now building our football, while we don’t have any sponsors and every thing is to start from ground zero, so want you to redouble your efforts and we will reach a time that we have more sponsors” the SFF president said.

“As you know we are holding our football matches in this war-weary country while beside us wars are taking place so you can understand what a major problem we are facing, but we are hopeful that difficulties will once come to an end” the Somali Football Federation president told the meeting.

Director General of Somali Youth and sports ministry Aweys Sheik Hadad talking on behalf of his minister thanked the Somali football federation for the great job it is doing in such chaotic country.

“I am still surprised at how the Somali football federation has managed to organize and hold competitions in this lawless country fenced by wars and anarchy” the director General said.

He praised the local media for its huge work of giving a particular intention to local sport specially football. Somali Prime minister’s advisor for youth and sports Abdi Qani Abduillai Hilowle (Jeenyo) was also present at the meeting.

Finally the editor of Isborti.com, one of the well-experienced sports writers Mr. Said Ibrahim Hussein (Buuna) who addressed at the meeting on behalf of Somali sports journalists said thatit was a great day for the football commentators to have a luncheon with dignitaries from Somali Sports ministry, Somali NOC and Somali football federation.