Somali FA Donates Complete Football Equipment to Its Clubs

By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

As part of its efforts to boost the football culture in Somalia, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) has given generous donations of financial assistance and complete football equipment to its 2nd and 3rd division clubs who had forceful commitment to the promotion of football in the war-weary country for the past two decades.

The football equipment was distributed to a total of 17 football clubs including division B and C clubs.

"We had always assisted our clubs, but this is the first time that we are giving them specially-made equipment on which the SFF logo is printed," The Somali Football Federation president Ali Said Guled Rooble said.

Somali Football Federation Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab noted that the clubs are financially poor, but have helped in the revival of Somali Football Federation in early 1990s and by virtue of that they were deserved to be assisted with respect to their commitment to football.

"Our clubs have been serving for a long time and had helped in the revival of Somali Football whilst they had no sponsors; they only depend on contributions from local community and football-loving individuals in the country," Somali Football Federation secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab said in a press statement on Thursday.

He added that after the Somali Football Federation had learned that the low-class clubs, it had taken the decision to assist them in both financially and technically through its technical development department.

"Other than the football equipment, we have also given our clubs large sums of cash as kind of our financial assistance program. There is a real football here in Somalia, but there is no sponsorship and that is why we are obliged to help them, because they are playing a key role in terms of the promotion of football in the country," Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab emphasized in his press statement Thursday.

It was a month ago when the Somali Football Federation had given huge financial support to its division A clubs whose standings are printed on the FIFA website for the second year in history.

"We are spending more efforts in the 25 clubs of different categories in Somalia. We always financially helped them annually, but this year they are receiving both football equipment and financial assistance.The football equipment is specially-made for them and we will continue until they will have sponsors," the secretary General added.

The secretary General called on local business companies to help the country's football which is a key element in the sectors of peace building and the rehabilitation of child soldiers in the country through the SFF's "PUT DOWN THE GUN AND TAKE UP THE BALL" project that has so far disarmed hundreds of former child soldiers with only the financial support from FIFA.

"We welcome the local business companies if they are interested in sponsoring our football and they can contact the SFF marketing department for details," the Secretary General Abdi Qani noted in his statement Thursday.

Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Contact him through NewsBlaze. Read more stories by Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar.