Times of Oman

OFA’s new chief optimistic on future of Oman football

After being unanimousl­y elected as the chairman of Oman Football Associatio­n, Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi said he is very optimistic of a positive future for the Sultanate soccer while informing the national teams will be given utmost care

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MUSCAT: The Oman Football Associatio­n (OFA) successful­ly conducted the board elections for the 2016-16 terms on Thursday with the new chairman Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi speaking about a positive future for the Sultanate squad.

The OFA’s General Assembly and the elections took place at Hormuz Grand hotel on Thursday when the representa­tives of 44 sports clubs took part in the voting process.

Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi, an unanimous candidate for the top post, was officially named as the new chairman of the OFA board.

The members then elected two vice-chairmen and the nine ordinary members of the board.

Mohsin bin Mohammed Al Masroori with 28 votes and Jasim bin Mohammed Al Shekaili with 25 votes were elected as the vice-chairmen. There were 28 candidates for the posts of nine ordinary members, of which six were directly elected in the first round while the remaining three made it to the board after the second round of voting.

The six members elected in the first round were Ahmed bin Nasser Al Rashdi (32 votes), Abdulhakim bin Amer Al Amri (29 votes), Ibrahim bin Mubarak Al Alawi (28 votes), Ahmed bin Haboush Al Farsi (26 votes), Sultan bin Hilal Al Hosni (25 votes) and Humaid bin Sulaiman Al Jabri (23 votes)

The three members elected in the second round were Mohammed bin Malik Al Shahi (18 votes), Saif bin Sultan Al Ghafri (17 votes) and Hamad bin Hamdan Al Mamari (15 votes).

Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi informed that a decision on who from among the two elected candidates will be the first vice-chairman and the second vice-chairman will be decided after the first meeting of the the new board members.

Focus on national teams

While describing the election process as a transparen­t one, Sheikh Salim Al Whaibi thanked the General Assembly and the members for their co-operation in the success of the elections.

Speaking about the future of football under the new board, he said: “I am very optimistic of a positive future for Oman football despite many challenges. The challenges would be overcome in the future.”

The new OFA chief also said the focus will on national teams.

“The board’s priorities will be on the national teams performanc­e. The teams would receive the utmost care,” he said.

Sheikh Salim also thanked the members of the previous board.

Referring to the sponsorshi­p contacts signed in the recent weeks, he said: “We appreciate the efforts of the former OFA board members which led to these sponsorshi­p agreements.”

AFC chief to visit

Meanwhile, Sheikh Salim also informed that Asian Football Confederat­ion chief Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa will arrive in the Sultanate on Monday to hold a meeting with OFA board members.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino also personally called up Sheikh Salim to congratula­te him on being elected as the OFA chief.

 ?? – Photo by ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman ?? NEW ERA: Newly elected board members of the Oman Football Associatio­n, back row, are pictured after the OFA General Assembly and elections organised at Hormuz Grand Hotel on Thursday.
– Photo by ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman NEW ERA: Newly elected board members of the Oman Football Associatio­n, back row, are pictured after the OFA General Assembly and elections organised at Hormuz Grand Hotel on Thursday.
 ?? – Photo - ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman ?? POSITIVE APPROACH: Oman Football Associatio­n’s new chairman Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi speaks during the OFA General Assembly at Hormuz Grand Hotel on Thursday.
– Photo - ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman POSITIVE APPROACH: Oman Football Associatio­n’s new chairman Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi speaks during the OFA General Assembly at Hormuz Grand Hotel on Thursday.

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