FIFA PLAN: SUMMIT FOR WOMEN IN CEBU

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

If plans don't miscarry, Cebu could host another Asean summit before December, and this one is for women's football.

Cristy Ramos, the deputy chairperson of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Committee, said FIFA is planning a women's football seminar in the Philippines on Sept. 25 to 29 for the 11 Southeast Asian nations plus four other countries.

"I suggested to FIFA to hold the seminar in Cebu because of its central location, and I think it would be excellent to bring the seminar outside of Manila to generate more interest and development from the provinces, especially in the Visayas area. I hope FIFA (and the PFF) will approve Cebu as the venue," Ramos said in an e-mail to Sun.Star Cebu.

Ramos, who is in Australia serving as match commissioner of the AFC Women's Cup, said the tentative topics for the seminar include administration, management, technical development, competitions and marketing.

Growth

If the seminar pushes through in Cebu, it could also help further spur the growth of girls’ football, which has grown tremendously in the last three years.

From just a Women's Open a few years ago, the Cebu Football Association now regularly holds competitions for the Girls 17-Under and 12-Under.

Meanwhile, Ramos, a staunch critic of the PFF, is hoping that the PFF will be fair in choosing whom to invite from the Philippines to attend the seminar.

"I also hope that many people who are especially interested in women's football will be able to take advantage of this," she said.