Uphold Fair Play ?Koufie

THE Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Ben Koufie, has appealed to players, referees, fans and officials throughout the country to help spread the massage of Fair Play on this year?s FIFA World Fair Play Day. FIFA is organising the Sixth Fair Play Day worldwide this weekend coinciding with the finals of the year?s FIFA U-19 Women?s World Championship in Canada. The initiative has the personal support of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.

?It?s good to feel part of the global football family when it is working to promote good sportsmanship? said Mr Ben Koufie.

Fair Play is not a new idea, but it never loses any of its meanings. Boys and girls, men and women, professionals and amateurs ? Fair Play is important to everyone.

?I?m sure people all over Ghana will help us make this year?s Fair Play Day a success?, he said.

President Blatter stressed the importance of education in helping strengthen Fair Play in football everywhere.

His special attention is focussed on children and the youth, especially demonstrating FIFA?s ?s support for the UNICEF?s ?Say Yes for Children? campaign, in particular at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

?When you watch children play, you see that it comes naturally to play fair?, he said.

?We have to make sure that as they grow up, they take these good habits with them and become good examples for others.

?Today?s professionals have a big responsibility to show the youngsters how to play according to the rules. No cheating! No shirt pulling! No diving! No trying to trick the referee! For the Good of the Game?, Blatter pointed out. This year?s FIFA World Fair Play Day is the sixth since being introduced in 1997.

Previous such occasions have been marked by a wide range of activities in dozens of countries around the world from grassroots to First Division football and many community-based projects, a statement signed by the General Secretary of the GFA, Mr Kofi Nsiah said.