The Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) board of control met last Sunday in Nadi. I believe the lengthy meeting turned out to be a very positive and fruitful one.
Below are few major outcomes from the meeting.
*Fiji FA has decided to withdraw its national women’s side from the Olympic Games playoffs. The recent flooding and adverse weather conditions made it very difficult to assemble a squad together so in the best interest we thought the best move would be to pull out of the women’s qualifiers.
*It has been decided that the Promotion/Relegation series between Nadroga and Tailevu Naitasiri be replayed. Both districts were consulted on the move and both districts agreed in good sportsmanship Spirit that a replay would be the best means. The first match will be played this Thursday 7.30pm at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. The decider will be hosted at Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori this Sunday 1pm.
*The 2012 Fiji FACT tournament will no longer be held in Labasa. The Fiji FA board of control took into account the recent performance of the Labasa side and the immense transfer of their players. Churchill Park in Lautoka has been chosen so far as an ideal venue at the moment. The venue for the first round of matches will be announced soon. Also for the first time Premier division districts will be invited to play before the Super Premier matches. The mechanism of how this will work will be released later. It does not mean we will not take tournament to Labasa, Ink BOG can be a option if Labasa team performs better.
*Jone Salauneune has been given the clear to feature for Ba in the O-League. He will be on loan with Ba till the end of the O-League.
*Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) wants all their member associations to align their season which means that the season should start in September and end around April. The move in the 2013 season is to have to O-League within a two month period between June and July. Fiji FA plans to complete our 2012 Fiji Sun/GP Batteries National Football League season by July and then prepare to start the new season in September, there is another option also which will be discussed with the sponsors and NLB Board before we release press statements.
General
*Chandra Segran, formerly the Fiji FA referees director was farewelled last Sunday in Nadi. After 11 years of dedicated and Faithful service to Fiji FA, Segran has decided to call it a day and migrate to Australia on behalf of the Fiji FA family I would like to wish him the best for the future.
*Bob Kumar, the Fiji FA chief executive officer, Technical Director Farouk Janeman and I attended a FIFA/Oceania Football Confederation meeting last week in Auckland, New Zealand. The workshop was a very useful one and this will indeed help us strengthen our administration and daily tasks.
