SOLOMON Islands Futsal sensation, Elliot Ragomo has called on responsible authorities to clarify when the proposed futsal facility will be built.
Ragomo told Star Sports that it has been 10 years since the proposed futsal stadium was first promised.
To date, nothing was done.
“Just imagine it is more than 10 years, where is the futsal facility which was promised to be built?
“We are the champions of Oceania for the past decade but the saddest reality for me is that we still don’t have a proper futsal facility.
“Kurukuru will continue to put Solomon Islands up there until we see the facility.
“That’s the reason why we never give up; because we have hope, that one day we will have a proper standard futsal facility,” he said.
Ragomo also wanted to urge young upcoming futsal talents to keep the hope alive.
“We must never give.
“I believe one day we will have this futsal facility and win the World Cup,” the fastest goal scorer in the world said.
The need for a proper venue for futsal has been building ever since the code was introduced to the country a decade ago.
In July 2009 Prime Minister Derek Sikua promised that the government would assist SIFFF in building a futsal facility, following the approval of the project by FIFA through its Goal Project initiative.
The news then was music to the ears of the football-mad nation’s futsal players and fans alike, who have been calling for a national stadium to be built for the indoor code since the Kurukuru’s success in qualifying for the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2008.
Since then nothing much was done, only the news on the possible venue for the project.
Recently the current president of the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) William Lai clarified why the proposed project was delayed.
Lai said the relocation of the SIFF Academy to pave way for the construction of the Sports stadium for the 2023 Pacific Games is what causes the delay.
He confirmed the money for the project has been approved by FIFA but work cannot start because of the issue of relocation.
“We will not build the facility here at the current Academy because we will relocate soon because SIFF Academy and the proposed site for the futsal project have been earmarked for the construction of the main Sports Stadium for the 2023 Pacific Games.
“This is the reason why there has been a delay in constructing the proposed futsal training facility.
“The funding of the futsal facility has been approved but we will have to wait until after the relocation before work shall start,” he said.
Lai added as soon as the relocation is done then work on the futsal facility will start, most probably this year.
Former SIFF futsal development officer and former Kurukuru coach, Victor Waii believes the futsal facility will provide the missing link for all futsal-related development.
“A futsal facility will be a dream come true.
“It will answer the need for a venue for technical programmes, competitions and the national teams to train.
“This is the key piece of the puzzle that we have been waiting for all along,” he said.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
