Football |15 April 2023

Fifa boss Infantino hands over to President Wavel Ramkalawan a Fifa T-Shirt with his name emblazoned on it (Photo: Roland Duval)

‘Football is a part of paradise,’ says Fifa boss

Seychelles being a paradise in itself, while the game of football brings a lot of happiness to the people, Fédération Internationale de Football Association president Gianni Infantino has described his short stay in the country as “very enjoyable”, having had the chance to see the continuous effort being carried out by the sport’s local governing body, both in terms of promotion and development.

Mr Infantino who arrived in the country on Thursday night and left yesterday evening, had a very busy schedule yesterday, starting with a courtesy call on President Wavel Ramkalawan who is also the patron of Seychelles football.

He was accompanied to State House by members of his delegation which included Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) deputy secretary general for football Mattias Grafstrom, senior football advisor Youri Djorkaeff, director for member associations of Africa Gelson Fernandes and Fifa development programme manager Celine Zigaul.

Also present were Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Marie-Celine Zialor, principal secretary for youth and sports Ralph Jean-Louis, president of the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) Elvis Chetty, chief executive Denis Rose, along with women’s football representative on the SFF executive committee Shella Mohideen.

During his chat with President Ramkalawan, Mr Infantino discussed about the country’s future football development, especially on the positive impact the sport can bring, particularly among the youth.

Mr Infantino also thanked President Ramkalwan and the government for the recent support during the launch of the Football For Schools (F4S) programme by Fifa in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), aimed at contributing to the education, development and empowerment of children, while seeking to make football more accessible to both boys and girls around the world by incorporating football activities into the education system, in partnership with relevant authorities and stakeholders.

They also discussed about the construction of new football facility by Fifa, once a plot of land is identified and approved by the government.

Discussion also touched the 2025 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup which will take place here – the first to be hosted in Africa – and Mr Infantino said extra effort will be made to ensure that the 2025 event will be the best one ever to be organised.

In relation to the event, President Ramkalawan thanked Fifa – through Mr Infantino – for the opportunity, especially for the trust instilled in our country to host the global event.

From State House, Mr Infantino and his delegation headed to the Astroturf pitch at La Retraite – funded under the Fifa Forward 2.1 Programme – where they were briefed on future proposed work to improve the facility, making it more conducive to cater for SFF’s future development plans.

The delegation then moved to the SFF headquarters at Maison Football, Roche Caïman where Mr Infantino met with the staff and thanked them for the continuous dedicated services in advocating and promoting the game of football.

While at the Maison Football, Mr Infantino had the chance to meet with a group of local coaches who are presently attempting the first module for their Confédération Africaine de Football (Caf) license A.

The delegation’s next stop was the newly-resurfaced Astro-turf pitch where Mr Infantino and Mr Chetty cut the ribbon and unveiled the plaque to officially inaugurate the facility, funded under the Fifa Forward 2.0 Project Fund.

The official part of Mr Infantino’s visit ended with a football match with uder-17 boys and girls, as well as officials of the SFF.

Mr Infantino was first named Fifa president in 2016 when he took over the remaining term of his suspended predecessor, Joseph Blatter.

During the 73rd Fifa congress on Thursday March 16, 2023 he was re-elected as president of Fifa for four more years, after running unopposed at the congress of world football's ruling body. 

The 52-year-old Swiss-Italian lawyer was confirmed in office by acclamation at the gathering in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

Mr Infantino can seek another term in 2027 until 2031, according to Fifa statutes.

He is the second Fifa boss to visit Seychelles after his predecessor Joseph Blatter, known as Sepp Blatter,

Made his inaugural trip here in 2001 when Seychelles hosted the African under-17 championship.

He came back in December 2011 on holidays.

Roland Duval