COURTESY FIFA.com: Doha, Qatar -The Goal Bureau met in Doha on 15 October under the chairmanship of Mohamed Bin Hammam (Qatar) and in the presence of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.
During this meeting, the Bureau approved or confirmed 25 new projects, at a total cost of USD 10 million, for FIFA’s Goal development programme:
Asia (7): Afghanistan, China PR, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Iraq, Thailand.
Africa (7): Congo DR, Egypt, Gabon, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tunisia.
North, Central America and Caribbean (5): Anguilla, Guadeloupe and Martinique (in coordination with the French Football Federation), Jamaica, St. Lucia.
South America (2): Brazil, Chile.
Oceania (1): Tahiti.
Europe (3): Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Slovenia.
The members of the Bureau also decided, in particular, to fully finance the construction of new headquarters and a technical centre for the national associations of Afghanistan and Iraq. In this way, FIFA is taking a hands-on role in the reconstruction of society in both of these countries.
This brings the total number of approved projects to 160 in 157 countries around the world. So far, 54 of these projects have been completed. “We can be satisfied with the work we have done so far, but we can still do better,” declared Mohamed Bin Hammam. “The Goal Bureau will therefore propose a number of measures to the Congress in order to improve development possibilities for the national associations.”
FIFA and the confederations also intend to work more closely to improve the implementation of future projects.
Finally, a total of 12,245 footballs have already been distributed to the national associations as part of the 100,000 adidas/Goal balls project.
Michel Platini, deputy chairman of the Goal Bureau, also opened a seminar in Doha that will run until 17 October and bring together all of the Development Officers responsible for evaluating, managing and controlling all proposed and approved projects.
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter created the Goal Programme to support the national associations. It was ratified at the 1999 Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Los Angeles. Goal projects are tailor-made to meet the needs and priorities of the respective national associations and include the following: construction and renovation of national association headquarters to ensure independent administrations; construction and renovation of technical centres for national teams of all age levels; courses for trainers and referees; football development programmes; laying of all-weather artificial turf pitches and natural grass pitches that help to improve the quality and quantity of pitches at national and regional level; construction and renovation of football academies to boost football development at youth level; educational programmes.