FIFA President
Joseph S. Blatter
Having received the news here in Tokyo, I would like to say how shocked I was to hear of the tragic death of Mohammed Rafiq after collapsing on the ground during the FIFA coaching course for Fiji Football Association.
On behalf of FIFA and the worldwide football family, I wish to extend our condolences to you, to the Fiji Football community and, most importantly, to Mohammed‘s family, friends and loved ones.
Please let them know that the football community stands by their side and we wish them strength at this difficult time. We would hope that in some way, our words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness.
Fiji FA President
Rajesh Patel
Fiji Football Association is deeply saddened by the sudden passing away of our development officer Mohammed Rafiq.
A humble, dedicated and hardworking employee, Rafiq was an inspiration for the national football body.
It is indeed a sad day for Fiji FA to lose such a capable person who had proved his worth as a player and later a coach.
He represented the Labasa senior side and later coached them. Later part of his career he coached few other premier sides in Vanua Levu before joining Fiji FA as a development officer in 2009. Later on he was promoted to the Just Play department.
It is still hard to convince ourselves that Rafiq is not with us but at the end of the day it was god’s will.
On behalf of the Fiji FA family, FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter and Oceania Football Confederation president David Chung, FIFA Development Manager Glenn Turner, OFC Technical Department staff Didier Chambaron I would like to extend our deepest condolences with Rafiq’s family.
We will pray and hope the almighty shower his blessings towards his family for their huge loss.
Bob Kumar
Fiji FA Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the Fiji Football Association board members, affiliates and staffs I would like to extend our sincere condolence with Mr.Mohammed Rafiq’s family. Rafiq was a fatherly figure for the other staffs in Fiji FA and his words of wisdom will no doubt be an inspiration for all of us. A person of his caliber who had a passion for football will be hard to replace. May his soul rest in peace and our prayers are with his family.
Juan Carlos Buzzetti Fiji FA National Coaching Director / Farouk Janeman Technical director
On behalf of everybody in the FIJI FA Technical Department we would like to present our deepest sympathy and condolences to our late brother and colleague Mohammed Rafiq family, we all are still in shock and disbelief of what happen and he will be remembered for all for his contribution to the game and friendship and comradeship between the coaching fraternity. Rest in peace brother.
Oceania Football Confederation Head of International Relations & Social Responsibility
Franck Castillo
It is with very great sadness that on Friday we have been informed about Rafiq’s death. The Just Play family has lost a man of rare quality. Passionate about his role of Development Officer, Rafiq’s commitment owes a large part of the Just Play success in Fiji. Since the beginning of this program, Rafiq has supported the Just Play project manager Yassir, who confessed on Friday that he has lost a father. Football was Rafiq’s passion and he was very happy to have the opportunity to improve children’s lives by using it.
Today on behalf of the whole Just Play family I would like to pay a tribute to Rafiq. I hope that from heaven he will continue to provide us valuable advice.
Thank you Rafiq for what you have done for the children of Fiji. No doubt many will miss you in Fiji. You are and will remain a role model. The Just Play family would like to express to his family their deepest condolences.
Yasir Janiff
Fiji FA Just Play Project Manager
Rafiq, the most humble person
I have known Mohammed Rafiq since 2009 when we joined together in Fiji Football Association. Rafiq joined Fiji Football as Development Officer in charge of all development programs in Southern division of Fiji. He was later prompted to be the Just Play Development Officer incharge of grassroots programme funded by Australian Government, UEFA, Football Federation Australia and Oceania Football.
Ever since the Just Play programme came to Fiji he was the backbone of the programme and has always lead with me to implement the programme in all the districts in the Southern Division. Since the day I have know him, he was the most humble person with lot of passion for football, caring, family oriented person who loved kids and was always there to help any person in need. I have always respected him as my father and always taken advise from him to run the Just Play Project. Through the years we had build very good relationship together and I had known his families.
I feel so blessed to have had such an extraordinary man, I will always cherish the times we spent together as workmates and I pray Allah may grant him Jannatul firdus.
Rajesh Narayan
Lami Football Association
We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences on the bereavement caused by the untimely death of Mr. Mohammed Rafiq who passed away on 6th September, 2012.
Mr. Rafiq was appointed a Technical Adviser of Lami Football Association this year and assisted us in our undefeated outing in the Premier Division Battle of the Giants tournament.
He was an instrumental Coach, mentor and person of great expertise in the field of Soccer. He never hesitated to share his knowledge with the people around him and always worked towards the betterment of the sports and taking it to a higher level.
A person of this calibre will be difficult to replace and his sudden death has left a vacuum in the Coaching panel of the Association. We dedicate the IDC Championship to Mr. Rafiq and will play every game in his name.
He gave his life in development of the Sports and we will do everything possible to show our uttermost respect to the great person we have lost.
Nothing would have been more gracious for him then to spend his last moment in the field where he played, coached and spent valuable term of his life in the development of the sport.
His advice and expertise shall be greatly missed and no question it’s a great loss to our District, Nation and to the sport of Soccer.
Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that you are very close in every thought and prayer… Lami Football Association, its Officers and sport loving fans of the District would like to Extend our deepest sympathy For you in your loss. And hoping, too, That comfort and peace May come to you and your family.
If tears could build a stairway,
and memories a lane,
I’d walk right up to heaven
and bring you home again.
May knowing you’re
in the hearts and thoughts of others
help you and yours
through this time of sorrow.
May you soul rest in peace
