BFA gets Fifa approval

Barbados was given two thumbs up from the world governing body for football, Fifa on Thursday.

Jair Bertoni, Fifa director of member associations for the Americas, said he was dazzled by the work of the local governing body for the sport at its headquarters in Wildey, St Michael.

Bertoni, the son of Argentine FIFA World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, gave the BFA high marks during a media conference.

“I’m very impressed,” he told reporters. “The level of the maintenance of the building is good. I was speaking with Randy from the grounds financed by FIFA, and I must say the caring of the facilities, I am very satisfied with it.

“It is something that you don’t see often in many other federations, so it means they care about the investment done.”

Bertoni said: “The facility with regards to the artificial pitch, to enable domestic competition and national teams to train, as well as to have matches, is impressive as well.

“The press room where we are sitting now was recently done and will serve for all the meetings we will have, and I’m also seeing the expansion of a second pitch, which is good as well.”

The FIFA official mentioned that in the future, the BFA will have a multi-purpose stand that will have changing rooms and a gym.

“We are thinking much further ahead with a possible dormitory for players,” Bertoni said. “It will be needed because one of the key elements is the possibility to host the boys and girls and have them train here in all the facilities to provide the conditions and expertise in coaching necessary in order to build stronger national teams and give every talent the opportunity to develop.”

In his brief remarks, BFA president Randy Harris lauded Fifa for their help in sustaining the game locally.

“It is always a pleasure to have them here, and their assistance to the BFA over the last six and a half years has been tremendous, and all around us we can see that FIFA is not just talking, but they are also walking,” he said.

Fifa regional office manager Herve Blanchard advised the BFA to continuing growing the game locally.

“Change takes time to happen, and football is a sport that grows real fast,” he said. “It takes time to do the right thing.

“I think President Harris and his executive team put in a lot of work with the regional office and FIFA headquarters to make sure the vision can be achieved, it is a journey, and we have to believe that where we are going is the right direction.

“We have to make sure we bring onboard the right stakeholders to get there. We have great projects that started and should be seeing the light in the future.”