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| September 18, 2005 | Sunday | Sha'aban 13, 1426 |
Bahrain to help Pakistan promote soccer
LAHORE, Sept 17: The Bahrain football authorities will send its national team to Pakistan and will also cooperate with the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)extensively to raise the standard of the game in the country.
Speaking to the media the PFF President, Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, explained that Bahrain had agreed to provide at least three top-class coaches, technical and management assistance, exchange of national teams on home and away basis, holding of Pakistan team training camp in Bahrain before next year’s South Asian Games to be held in Sri Lanka in April.
They will also train coaches and referees of Pakistan in Bahrain, promote women’s football and seek support of their own government for the improvement of infrastructure in Pakistan.
The president with two other officials of the PFF —Naseebullah Khan Bazai, Mujahid Ullah Tareen — visited Bahrain while retuning after attending the AFC and FIFA meetings in Morocco held from Sept 10 to 12.
Faisal pointed out that Bahrain would also send its national team to Pakistan before sixth SAFF championship to be held in December to give maximum practice to the Pakistan team.
He added that during his stay in Morocco, he also met representatives of around 30 countries like Iran, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Japan, Hong Kong, Maldives, Bangladesh an Singapore and exchanged views about promotion of the game in Pakistan.
He disclosed that FIFA was going to to increase its membership from 205 to 207 by adding Comoros and East Timor.
He stated that during AFC meeting all hurdles had been cleared for the formation of the AFC Referees Association and AFC Coaches Association.
The AFC had also included Australia into the Asian family after a unanimous decision of 44 member countries.
Australia will formally belong to the AFC from January 1, 2006, he added.
The AFC Congress was opened by President Mohamed Bin Hammam while the chief guest was FIFA president Joseph Blatter and general secretary Urs Linsi.
Pointing out the key amendments approved by the Congress allowing the suspension of any Executive Committee member, who remains absent for three consecutive Executive Committee meetings or any six Executive Committee meetings.
Talking about December’s SAFF Championship, the foremost soccer event for South Asian Nations, he said Pakistan would hold it at all costs.
“I personally talked to the Sindh Chief Minister about the proposed venue of the Peoples Complex and CM said he would do his best to make it ready for the event,” he said.
The SAFF’ delegation had recently visited the complex to inspect the facilities but the PFF is still awaiting a report from them.
The PFF will decide about Karachi or Lahore as a venue on the recommendations of the SAFF report.
PFF President also said that he would take strict action if any over-age players were included in the Youth and U-17 camps.
He said that FIFA and AFC both were very serious about discipline and Code of Conduct.
He hoped that the first national women’s championship to be held in Islamabad next week, will be held successfully and organizers had been instructed to take every step to hold it in an organised manner.
He also added Pakistan would take part in the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup next year in which 17 emerging countries of Asia would take part.
He said that the main work at Football House had been completed and its inauguration will be performed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
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