AFC sign declaration to protect women and girls

Staff Writer

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) reinforced its commitment to ensure the safety of women in the sport by signing the Declaration of Principles for the Protection of Women and Girls from Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Football Worldwide.

The Declaration has been drawn up by international social enterprise, Association Football Development Programme (AFDP Global), which is founded by HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein.

The AFC is dedicated and will continue to provide a safe environment for women and girls to participate in football – on and off the pitch – without any exploitation or harassment.

By signing the declaration, the AFC reiterates its pledge to adhere to its key principles which include adopting a clear standard safeguarding code and instituting educational programmes, implementing whistleblowing and reporting mechanisms, enforcement of policies through serious sanctions and supporting affected individuals.

Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “We are fully committed to providing a safe environment for everyone who plays football and at our AFC Executive meeting in Muscat in November last year we agreed to review our rules and regulations as well as Statutes in this area. That important work is on-going, and a report should go to our relevant committees in the next few months.”

AFDP Global is a social enterprise that funds, supports and partners with organisations to unite and transform communities through football.

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AFC sign a deal with Earthlink for AFC Asian Qualifiers

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Image credit: AFC website

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed Earthlink, a telecommunications provider, as an Official Regional Partner for the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26.

This sponsorship covers key AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 matches in Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.

As part of the collaboration, Earthlink will work closely with the AFC to deliver unique fan activations during home matches in Iraq, as the Lions of Mesopotamia strive to secure their place at the global stage.

The partnership was confirmed during a meeting held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where representatives from Earthlink, including CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim, met with AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John.

Both parties emphasised their shared commitment to utilising the partnership to achieve mutual objectives and enhance the fan experience across the MENA region.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John expressed his excitement about the collaboration.

“The AFC is delighted to welcome Earthlink as an Official Regional Partner of the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26, which is a clear reflection of the world-class appeal and stature of the AFC’s national team competitions,” John explained in an AFC statement.

“The expanded and revamped format has undoubtedly paved the way for greater engagement in more territories than ever before and we thank Earthlink for sharing our belief in Asian football, and we look forward to strengthening our ties to create more lasting memories for the passionate fans across the MENA region.”

Earthlink CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim also shared his thoughts on the new partnership.

“We are happy with this partnership, and we are looking forward to continue supporting the Iraqi national team for what it represents for us as Iraqis, which is an icon and symbol that we all rally around and a source of joy in the hearts of the people,” Jasim said in a statement.

“Our link-up with the AFC is part of Earthlink’s strategy that aims to support and empower youth in related sectors, including sports. The sponsorship with the AFC complements Earthlink’s initiatives in supporting Iraqi sports, and we have confidence in the team that will continue to represent Iraq in the best way and honour Iraqi football all the way to the World Cup Finals.

“We thank the AFC for being one of our international partners, and I express my gratitude for the warm reception at this great establishment.”

It is always a positive to see a large company partner with a football federation to innovate fan activations and improve the experience during matchdays.

This is certainly a first for the AFC, the Iraq National Team and the MENA region, and the success with Earthlink could spark a new way to connect to fans in stadiums.

FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme on track to meet target

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Image credit: Inside FIFA website

The Talent Development Scheme has shown major progress with the addition of 14 new talent coaches. This project was confirmed at the FIFA Football Summit in December 2023 aiming to have 75 elite academies across the world by the end of 2027.

By implementing these academies, this allows young players an opportunity to realise their potential and provide a pathway to the professional level, regardless of background and socio-economic status.

The Talent Development Scheme has already been rolled out in 176 FIFA member associations and leads of the program will assess the criteria that is needed to be fulfilled to put the initial phase of the project in place.

FIFA’s Cheif of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, said the plan is gaining some momentum and has seen major strides in its development.

“It is moving football forward in every single country,” he said in a media release on FIFA’s website.

“Let’s not forget that the core of our thinking is to give every talent in the whole world a chance.

“I must say, when I look back to 2021, when we started to think ‘What can we do for football in the world?’ and where we are today, even I am quite surprised about how quickly it’s all gone – and, of course, it’s not enough; we always want to do more.”

The next step of the Talent Development Scheme is to assign FIFA Talent coaches to each member association, where they will work with local stakeholders to create a domestic coaching network.

FIFA’s Head of High Performance, Ulf Schott, discusses the plans of the next step in the scheme and how it should be implemented.

“We have conducted several webinars beforehand to talk about all of the organisational stuff, so that we can focus completely on what’s going on on the pitch this week,” he said in a media release on FIFA’s website.

“This is where our Talent Coaches should inspire, on the one hand the talent, and on the other hand other coaches too who are working with them, and should then [replicate] our idea, of what we want to achieve with an academy in a country.”

FIFA’s latest plan can potentially provide many benefits when it comes to football in Australia, giving younger players a chance to develop in a way that prepares them for the professional game once they reach that stage.

Although still in its early stages, the Talent Development Scheme is showing significant progress with the recent addition of coaches to help make this project come to fruition.

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