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Sports |
FIFA’s goal on your land
By WENDY KATUSELE
THE Papua New Guinea Football
Association is calling on all provincial soccer affiliates to make
land available so that FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, can
release funds to build soccer fields in the respective provinces.
FIFA has made available US$1 million to developing countries,
including PNG and the Pacific Islands region, to cater for this.
PNGFA president David Chung said that each Papua New Guinea
province must have land available, or liaise with their respective
provincial governments to lease a piece of land to PNGFA for 30
years or more so that PNG through the FIFA-affiliate, Oceania
Confederation, could apply for FIFA funds.
Chung said that if affiliates conform to this criteria then FIFA
would be able to draw on the US$1 million earmarked for
construction projects.
He said this at the weekend while announcing the upcoming visit
OFC president and FIFA vice-president Reynald Temairi to the
women’s regional qualifier in Lae next month.
Temairi is scheduled also to officiate at the ground-breaking
ceremony of the Wabag (Enga province) Soccer Academy on April 15.
Chung said PNG was fortunate and a “very special country” in the
Oceania region in that it is eligible to FIFA funds to upgrade and
build its soccer fields, but its own member associations have gone
to sleep since the announcement of the funding from FIFA last
year.
“Each association must meet this requirement so that FIFA can
release funds that will be allocated to that particular project
but associations have gone to sleep and we are waiting,” Chung
said.
He said that associations must take the initiative so that
standard and proper playing fields could be erected in their
areas.
“The opportunity is there but it is up to the associations to
express their interest with the land on hand,” Chung said.
 
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