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‘Football is school of life’
By HENRY MORABANG
FOOTBALL is school of life.
That was how FIFA president Sepp Blatter summed it during an
official dinner hosted by Dame Carol Kidu at the State Function
Room in Parliament House last night.
He said football and music were more universal and they go
together.
Under Blatter’s regime as president, football is not just about
kicking the ball but is about life.
With the slogan, “Football for All, All for Football” the visiting
world football chief said football could now be used as tool for
development in the community.
He said he learnt about problems in the Oceania region in
particular, PNG’s need for facilities.
In order to get the facilities, Blatter reiterated the PNG
Football Association must work and not depend on manna from
heaven.
“You have to work, help yourselves then heaven will help you,” he
said.
Blatter said next year, Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (Oceania)
would get funding from European Union – more like a political
entity, who are willing to support the development of football
around the globe.
He said he knew that PNGFA president David Chung and other
countries in the region had requested for funding to build
facilities.
He also stressed football’s impact on humanity and that game of
football was about humanity.
The players must have social responsibility to have a healthy
living.
He said football was the most popular sport and “we have to
respect that”.
“It’s a combat game, controlled by time, boundaries and we have to
learn to lose and learn to win,” he said.
Blatter said this was his first visit to PNG and thanked OFC and
PNGFA president Chung for hosting the OFC Congress.
He said it was a wonderful country with unique culture.
Blatter made reference to his welcome ceremony that he was very
happy with it, and appreciated the traditional dance.
Dame Carol Kidu thanked OFC through Reynald Temarii for giving PNG
the honour of hosting this historic visit of the world football
president and the FIFA executives for the Oceania Football
Congress.
“It is a great honour for us and we are only sad that all of you
are not about to experience more of the diverse culture and
stunning scenery of PNG – the land of the unexpected.”
 
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