The five-day long MA
course was the first of its kind that Somali Football Federation organized in
the lawless country for more than 25 years.
FIFA refereeing
development expert Ahmed El Shenawi who conducted the course for Somalia said
that 7 days passed him quickly because of the good people and the lovely time
he experienced since his arrival in Mogadishu.
He thanked the Somali
Football Federation (SFF) for the high profile welcome they extended to him and
as well as the good organization to host the international level course.
"For years we had been praying to Allah to make the next course in Mogadishu, all hopes became possible and we are all happy that our course has gone smoothly in Somalia” Mr. Ahmed El Shenawi told the closing ceremony on Thursday. He praised his trainees for their dedication and commitment to the course both in the class and fitness sessions too.
"I really enjoyed good time in Somalia, thank
you very much again and see you soon in another course” FIFA refereeing
development officer said during his address at the closing ceremony on
Thursday.
For his part Somali
Football Federation President Ali Said Guled Roble said that it was a very
great opportunity for the SFF to hold such course at home after a long wait and
thanked FIFA for its continued efforts to develop football in the war-ravaged
country.
He said that since
2010 Somalia had its refereeing courses organized in Djibouti, but this was the
first one to be held in Somalia for more than 25 years.
"I would like to
thank FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter and his executive committee for
protecting Somali football from collapse” the SFF president said before handing
over the microphone to Khalid Ali Omar, the minister for youth and sport of the
federal government of Somalia.
The minister said
that the arrival of FIFA in the country for the second year running was very
mentionable and even a great opportunity for Somalia who benefitted MA
grassroots coaching course last year.
"This is a golden
chance and it is impossible that somebody gets such important chance every day,
because now FIFA came to us and gave us knowledge
and more experience, so I urge you to take advantage from your time and bear in
mind that you will be the instructors of tomorrow” the minister told the
trainees.
"Football had already
become a very huge business industry in the world, so I want you to deliver
your knowledge to those who didn’t have such golden chance so that we can
advantage from the world’s biggest business industry which seems to be the
football” the minister for youth and sport Khalid Ali Omar noted.
He said that the
arrival of FIFA in the country was a very great opportunity for Somalia, adding
that conducting the course here saved much money for the Somali Football
Federation.
"When a Somali
referee is officiating an international match, that will give Somalia a great
publicity because we see our name (Somalia) appearing in the news headlines of
international media, because the media mentions the name of the referee and as
well as the name of his country” the minister explained.
He praised Somali
Football Federation authorities for surviving the country’s football adding
that the SFF was very praiseworthy for working in a destroyed country with no governmental
administration for decades to promote football in Somalia.
"On behalf of Somali
government I praise FIFA for helping Somalia appear in all football gatherings around
the world, also I would like to thank our brother Ahmed El Shenawi for coming
to teach our elite referees here in the country” the minister told the ceremony
before announcing the closure of the 5-day course.
Somali Football Federation Media Department
Email:somalifootballmedia@gmail.com