IDC in the bag
Labasa creates own history
An emotional Labasa striker Dennis Ifunaoa is carried by a fan after the final whistle of the 2019 Courts Inter District Championship at Prince Charles Park in Nadi on Sunday. Ifunaoa scored the winning goal for Labasa in the final against Suva. The match ended in extra time.
GREETINGS to all.
The long-awaited Courts Inter District Championship 2019 has finally come to an end. Congratulations to the Babasiga Lions of Labasa for winning the $25,000 prizemoney and the IDC silverware. Hats off to the hardworking players and officials for continuing from where they left off after their Battle of the Giants win this year.
Big congratulations also go to the Navua football officials and players for successfully defending the senior division title. You have definitely showed that you are ready for the bigger challenges next season. Welcome back to the premier division!
As we conclude this tournament, I would like to show my hearty appreciation to the major sponsor Courts as they entered its 20th year of sponsorship this year.
At this juncture, I would also like to thank her excellency Ms Padmaja, high commissioner of India to Fiji, for accepting our invitation to be the chief guest at the official opening ceremony.
To the Fiji FA board, grounds committee and my hardworking staff members, you have done a great job. The preparation started way before and with all your support, this tournament ran smoothly. I also thank all the participating teams for showing a great display of football.
On the same note it is really disappointing to see some players are still found positive in using illegal substances in football. Fiji FA will no more tolerate if players are found positive. It is disappointing to say six players have been found positive at this year’s Courts IDC despite so many awareness. Nevertheless Fiji FA has amended its statutes and will now come hard on the players who are caught using drugs in football. Now the districts will have to test their players and if a player is found positive the district will be fined $200 with players and will face full consequence. A first offender will now face three months suspension not like before they were given 30 days for re-test. I am proud to say Fiji FA is the first sporting organisation that has taken this step to make football free of drugs. Some amendments to our constitution is made and this was passed during its extraordinary Congress in Nadi on Friday. The amendments to the statutes were passed after majority members voted in favour.
We are now in line with the statutes of Oceania Football Confederation and world governing body FIFA.
We have also approved amendments to the Governance Regulations of Fiji FA which is made up of the ethics code, anti-doping code and disciplinary code. This immediately comes into effect and districts will see the changes. Now the districts will have to fall in line with Fiji FA statutes.
The constitutions are aligned as it is very helpful to the districts in issues like protests and player registrations and so on can easily be resolved. The players will also have to be in line with the statutes of both Fiji FA and their districts and those breaking the rules will be given harsh penalties. Fiji FA has also removed the Fiji Football Referees Association and now all the referees come under Fiji FA while Fiji Football Coaches Association to come under Fiji FA technical department.