Somali Football Federation Chief Media officer Shafi’i
Mohyaddin Abokar (ISLOW) said in a press statement on Thursday that three
empowerment football-related courses will be staged in the provincial capital
of Kismayo, a key port town that was once under Islamist control.
"Arrangements for three development courses are now under
way. The courses are: coaching course, refereeing course and sports
administration course and as shown in the SFF annual plans all three courses
will take place sometime in February 2015” SFF Media officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin
said in a press statement on Thursday.
"The SFF would like to congratulate the region’s people in general and football family members in particular for attracting the attention of SFF and that is because of the free and fair election which was held in the region in line with the SFF regulations and as well as the international football principles.” The Media Officer said.
He urged other regional administrations in the country to
learn from the good examples shown by the Lower Jubba authorities who haven’t interfered
in the recent local football committee election in the region.
"Football officials in all regions must come through elections,
because the SFF will not accept government-appointed football officials—according
to FIFA status, football authorities are elected but not appointed by
governments, so I would like to urge authorities of regional autonomies in the
country to let football people elect their leaders” the SFF media officer said
in his statement.
The statement praised the region’s authorities for
understanding the power and the importance that football has for the creation
of public integration, peace building and development in a country ravaged by
decades of civil wars.
As shown in the development strategy drawn by the visionary
president of Somali Football Federation Mr. Abdiqani Said Arab, the Somali FA
is planning to implement the biggest number of development programs in the
country in the SFF history. The plan is part of the ‘spread the football’program which is mainly intended to help every single Somali get access to
football.
By Omar Mohamud Wardere
Email:somalifootballmedia@gmail.com