NSW Futsal Press Release
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Football NSW will end at the 30th September, 2017. NSW Futsal will review its position in regard to ongoing affiliation into 2018 and beyond.
Our major concern and an influencing factor in our decision process, is the lack of interest and support of FFA in the development and promotion of the sport.
Futsal, like many other sports is funded from the bottom up. Ultimately our player base funds the sport from grass roots to elite. Yet, we have no say or influence in how it is managed. Understandably, with official numbers so low and NSW the only State with significant numbers there is little money filtering through to FFA through capitations.
However, there seems to be a contradiction in FFA’s governance. They have a self-appointed board with no democratic system in place for stakeholders. Unless the stakeholders take ownership of Futsal it will never grow nor will have sufficient numbers to fund its programs.
There is probably around 100,000 people playing Futsal around Australia. Many of these are playing in private centres, YMCA’s and other social competitions not affiliated to their State Football Federations. High registration and insurance costs and the “eye for the dollar $$$” are probably the main reason these do not affiliate. I.e. What I am getting for my money?
There has been some banter on the possibility of unifying the sport. Whilst most Futsal purists would support this view there are too many factions with their own agendas. At present we have three National Futsal bodies:
AFA (Vikings)
FAF (AMF)
FFA (FIFA)
We also have three Word Cups and various International Futsal events which each of these National Bodies support.
We have a proliferation of State Leagues, State and National Tournaments, and Futsal Academies (official and unofficial)
Unless each of these factions pulls together to manage and drive Futsal in Australia and until we take ownership away from FFA, the sport will never move forward.
We look forward to that day!
