Eleanor Burnham - Future Welsh football should be transparent, guided and involve our communities

3.03.00pm GMT Tue 6th Feb 2007

Eleanor Burnham AM has laid out her vision for the future of football in Wales, including the role of the FAW as the sport's governing body in a Plenary debate today, following the publication of the report Football in Wales by the Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee.

The report is the result of an intensive review, designed to give a clear picture of the current state of play in Welsh football at every level. The report includes recommendations to secure a strategy for the development of the sport, their implementation to be overseen by the FAW.

Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Sport and committee member said: "Our report Football in Wales is the result of many months of consultation with Welsh clubs, local authorities, football charities and specialists who helped shape our recommendations for the sport in Wales.

"We can see that football throughout Wales is struggling to develop, lacking any structure for the participation of everybody who wants to get involved, whether it's with their local club or on the national team. Boys, girls, adults, the disabled and people in every community have an interest in the future Wales' most popular sport.

"But while our report found that many people are making great efforts to keep the sport going strong in their local teams and towns, all the volunteers, coaches, development officers and coordinators could benefit from guidance and support from the FAW.

Ms Burnham said that the FAW's behavior with the committee had been tantamount to blackmail, threatening that without the Association Wales would no longer be able to take part in international competition. However, Ms Burnham stated that the accusation of government interference in the running of the Welsh game is false.

"We in the Welsh Assembly have no intention of dictating how the FAW should run the game in Wales, all we asked was that they be open and frank with us, as representatives of the public, as to the current situation in Welsh football.

"The FAW must recognise their responsibility for the future of football and act accordingly. I was bitterly disappointed that the FAW flatly refused our invitations to speak to the committee, as they have the final say over the implementation of the strategic plans for the sport drawn up by the FAW Trust.

"Why have none of the excellent plans for minority and grassroots football shown to us by the Trust been put into place? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that half of the Trust's board members are directly appointed by the FAW, who have shown such a lack of enthusiasm for football's future.

"If the FAW accept the recommendations of the committee report, we may be able to sow the seeds of transparency, guidance and real development in every area of the sport for Wales."

Notes/nodiadau

A full copy of the report Football in Wales is available online at:

http://www.wales.gov.uk/documents/cms/2/DocumentsLaid/37B1A026000BF4FD0000436C00000000/1e1df849350e947500c8c9966abaa9fc.pdf

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