By Malik Gunatilleke

FIFA President Sepp Blatter, upon his visit to Sri Lanka, stated that although Sri Lankan football had made great strides over the last few years he was still not satisfied with the standard of the sport in the country.

The FIFA President, along with a high level delegation, arrived in Sri Lanka on 1 December to participate in the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL). Blatter also travelled to Jaffna to open the new Jaffna stadium, a project undertaken by the FFSL.

From left: FFSL President Ranjith Rodrigo, FIFA President Joseph Blatter and AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa

Speaking at a press event held at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo last evening, Blatter spoke of Sri Lanka and in particular Asia’s progress in football.

“People tell me Asia is the future. I say no, the future is not Asia, the present is Asia. The Asian countries have become powerhouses not only in the world economy but also in football,” he said.

Blatter and his delegation, which included Asian Football Federation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa last morning before flying to Jaffna to open the newly developed stadium. He also claimed that his visit to Jaffna was of special significance to him.

FIFA President Joseph Blatter presents FFSL President Ranjith Rodrigo with a memento for the 75th anniversary of the FFSL

“My visit to Jaffna was full of emotions. I have wanted to go there for years but for various reasons I couldn’t go. I can see now the level of support that football receives from the Government and in particular the Minister of Sports here is Sri Lanka,” he said.

Speaking on the state of the sport in Sri Lanka, Blatter stated that he couldn’t say that he was content with the progress made so far but hopes he will be able to say that he is satisfied during his next visit.

In a country where cricket is considered the top sport, he claimed that football could someday claim a more important role depending on the work of the governing bodies.

“Cricket is a good game but it doesn’t have the popularity that football has. Everybody wants to kick a ball, it’s instinctive,” he said.

Blatter cited India as an example of another nation popular for its cricket but where football was growing in popularity. He stated that the current Indian League was only a promotional tournament where former players are participating but the 52-match league will be launched in 2017 featuring 24 teams. This would help the sport grow even further in a nation obsessed with cricket.

He even suggested that the current Sri Lankan domestic 21-team league tournament be restructured to incorporate two divisions to heighten interest.

FFSL President Ranjith Rodrigo stated that it was an honour to welcome Blatter to Sri Lanka while he thanked the FIFA President for his continued support to growing the sport on the island since taking up the presidency in 1998.

“Since 1998, FIFA has contributed $ 11.35 million to develop the sport in Sri Lanka. FIFA has also conducted several training programs, courses and grassroots level programs in the country and we are very grateful,” he said.

Speaking of the significance of the stadium in Jaffna, Rodrigo said that he was determined to complete the project and donate the stadium to the football-loving public in the north. He added that it was a great achievement to be able to overcome all the challenges and be able to open it during a milestone year.

The FFSL also held a grand banquet for the visiting delegation which also included several top FIFA and AFC officials as well as MA Presidents from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UAE and Saudi Arabia. FFSL also launched the first-ever official Sri Lankan national jersey and felicitated three Sri Lankan football legends at the event.

Blatter and his delegation which flew in by private jet are set to leave the island today.