Cano hails from Paraguay and is also the Development Manager for CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation. She will combine that responsibility with her new challenge as Development Manager for Oceania and can’t wait to start helping football achieve its full potential in the Pacific.
“The part that will be the most interesting for me is to work with two confederations that are completely different, not only culturally but in terms of football especially,” Cano says.
Dumortier, 46, will remain with FIFA but is moving to a new department that will be responsible for security at FIFA tournaments and events.
“I needed to have a change,” he says. “I joined FIFA seven years ago and have always been involved with development activities, with CONMEBOL to start with and OFC lately. This will be something totally different and I am looking forward to it.”
Cano, 37, is based at FIFA headquarters in Zurich but will work closely with Auckland-based FIFA Development Officer for Oceania Glenn Turner to ensure the governing body’s projects and initiatives are carried out across the Pacific.
The FIFA Development Office is charged with managing and implementing FIFA’s hugely-successful Goal Programme which promotes the independence and professionalisation of member associations through the improvement of their facilities.
“My main task is to work with the development office to approve, follow up and complete the Goal Projects we have,” Cano says. “We are also in charge of the Financial Assistance Programme that FIFA provides to its member associations.”
The Goal Programme provides associations with tailor-made projects, such as the construction of association headquarters, technical centres, natural and artificial turf pitches and football schools. Where possible, projects are carried out in collaboration with the confederation and government authorities.
Since 2000, the FIFA Development Office for Oceania has implemented over 30 projects (Goal I, II and III), with all 11 member associations completing or currently implementing a Goal I project at least. Additionally, three member associations have been allocated a Goal Project for the development of talented youth players.
Through the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP), FIFA makes funds available to confederations and member associations to assist with long-term development projects. The primary focus is on assisting member associations from a technical and administrative perspective.
Cano already has plenty of work on her hands with CONMEBOL but says this will not affect the time she devotes to OFC and is determined that each of the member associations under her umbrella will be treated equally.
“One of the main things we agreed with Glenn is that every federation needs to have equal rights. Somewhere like Brazil is a huge football country but that doesn’t mean it should get more projects or programmes than an OFC nation.
“We also need to make sure the programmes are tailor-made for each federation’s needs. New Zealand is not the same as American Samoa so we have to understand that the needs are different and provide them with the right projects based on that.”
Turner is quick to pay tribute to the close collaboration and support Dumortier has provided to the FIFA Development Office in Auckland.
“Serge was and remains a tremendous friend of our member associations,” Turner says. “He has been very willing to offer guidance at all times to ensure the Oceania members continued to progress in all areas of football.”
Turner is pleased to welcome Cano to Oceania and says he is looking forward to gaining knowledge and programmes from the CONMEBOL region over the coming years.