Give us a fair go

 By HENRY MORABANG

WOMEN’S National Soccer League president Linda Wonuhali has called for support for women’s soccer with competition yet to kick off because they are without a sponsor.

Papua New Guinea women are ranked No. 2 in the region behind New Zealand and are three-time defending Pacific Games champions.

However that status has not translated into sponsorship kina despite it being the ideal position such prominence would attract for a company to get mileage on their image or brand.

Wonuhali’s plea for sponsorship comes on the back of last week’s announcement that Telikom PNG would continue their support of the NSL men’s competition for an eighth consecutive year.

The telecommunications company put K1 million toward the men’s comp.

Women’s soccer received a K10,000 sponsorship from Hugo Cannery  through its Ox & Palm brand last year. In comparison, their male counterparts received K400,000 – or 40 times the amount the women’s competition got. 

Wonuhali thanked the women’s franchises for taking ownership and backing their teams.

She said it was unfortunate that the women’s football could not get recognition from corporate bodies but she praised Telikom for sticking with soccer. 

NSL development manager Chris Brown said  a list of interested teams for the women’s competition would soon be out.

Brown said the games would take place if there were enough women’s sides but more importantly, if there was adequate corporate support.

Incumbent major sponsor, Ox & Palm withdrew their support after a change of ownership.

The women’s league is the highest level of competition that national representatives  and many of the country’s best female footballers play in and is expected to provide a platform to select a team for the 2015 Pacific Games.