Somali Soccer Veteran to Inspect Facilities in Eritrea

By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

Serving as full representative from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), an expert from Somali Football Federation, a former FIFA referee Dr. Hassan Mohamed Mahmoud (Farey) will travel to the Eritrean capital Asmara in a bid to inspect the football facilities in the northeast African country to find out if they are fit for hosting a continental event in the future.

Likewise the Somali soccer expert will check the hotels in that country if they are capable of hosting international level officials from the world's football governing body FIFA or that in Africa CAF.

The Lafole University graduate Dr. Hassan Mohamed Mahmoud who is due to be in Asmara on 6th of January will be accompanied during his inspection duty by high profile Eritrean officials including football Federation secretary General, an official from the ministry of sport in Eritrea, security officer, and architect or grass technician and other officials, according to a circular letter from CAF.

The Somali Football Federation has vehemently lauded for the appointment of its member as a continental football governing body ambassador.

"This appointment shows that Somali Football is really alive both in knowledge and technically and goes with the world of football despite experiencing one of the world's most notorious civil wars, anti football sentiments and lawlessness for more than two decades" Somali Football Federation Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab said in a press statement issued here in Mogadishu on Monday.

Born in Mogadishu in 1957, Dr Hassan Mohamed Mahmoud started his career as FIFA referee in 1986 and has been serving as CAF commissioner since 2009. He officiated 30 international, continental and regional competitions including FIFA and Olympic Games qualifying titles.

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