Mr. Binyam, was addressing via skype at the launching of
media training workshop for local football writers on Sunday 13th of
August. After his address, Mr. Binyam answered several questions asked by
journalists who attended the workshop.
BELOW
IS BINYAM’S ADDRESS:
I would like to praise the initiative taken by the Somali
football federation to support local journalists by giving them high profile trainings. I think this is the second edition. Somalia was and will remain one
of the strong houses of football in Africa. Some of you may certainly know that
for many many years. CAF first vice president was Mr. Farah Addo who was one of
the key persons in the development of referees in Africa. He was one of the key
and most experienced administrators we ever had in Africa and most of people
today benefit from his legacy for what he did for football in Africa.
The first official visit by CAF president, Ahmed Ahmed, was done to Somalia, just for you to have an idea of how Somalia is important for African football today and we want to have that country back to its normality
Despite the difficulties in Somalia, we welcome all the
efforts made by the Somalia FA president Abdiqani Said Arab and his team over
the years to make sure that despite a very tough environment the ball is still
rolling. Because there are some countries
who are still under challenges to be able to play football, but in Somalia there
is a league normally going on with a number of footballers from abroad involve.
Football is part of the solution to problems some countries are facing, because
football is all about peace, football is all about bringing people together,
football is all about creating friendship.
It is really impressing for you to do
a better job in such difficult environment. We have federations with less
challenge which are not able to do what your federation is doing towards you by
bringing you those opportunities of training, by bringing you those capacity
building programs, so you should really support the initiatives of the FA. Supporting
the initiatives of the FA doesn’t mean that anyone is asking you to contravene
the principles of your work. The principles of your work are all about telling
the truth, telling what you see, telling what is happening around you, so when
I am asking you to support your federation is just giving more time to covering
the tremendous football development in your country. It is mandatory for you as
journalists to report what is happening, but it is your contribution to make
things look better for your own country, because this country is usually related
to bomb blasts, but there is another life going on in Somalia.
As expressed by the head of state of Somalia, by the
prime minister during the visit by CAF president, it is a hope for all of us to
have international football back in Somalia and we do hope that in the weeks,
the months and the years to come conditions will get better in Somalia. You
have to remember that it was asked by CAF president that the national stadium
should be freed, should be given back to who it was dedicated, I mean the
football. That stadium hasn’t been used for football for many years. Now the
time has come to get it back to the football.
Somali
Football Federation Media Department
Email:info@somsoccer.com