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Armand Duka: Albania used to be ranked 110th in FIFA, this is what should happen to sports funds

2023-04-18 14:08:00, Sport CNA

The head of the ALF, Armand Duka, delivered his speech at the National Conference "Achievements and Challenges of Sport in Albania". The president of the AFF

pointed out the achievements made throughout this period and the progress of the National Team, but also the request for football support.

"Dear Minister Khushi,
dear guests and dignitaries who are in this hall today,

Allow me first to thank the organizers of this conference, the Ministry of Education and Sports and especially Minister Evis Kushi.

This conference is without question very important for sport and its people, not only to make a parade of achievements, - which without question must be reflected and documented because the correct reflection of achievements and successes helps us a lot for the education of a sports society, - but at the same time, to reflect on things, we did not do well or did not have the right pace.

Today, Albanian sport faces many challenges, the top of which is the goal of creating a sports culture. We are a non-sporting society. Here I am not talking about professional sports, but about amateur sports, about a sports movement that is missing. Today as we speak, according to EuroBarometer data, in the European Union the European average of people involved in sports is 40%. In Albania, only 3-4% of the population practice sports. These are alarming numbers that require intervention and concrete actions.

On the other hand, I cannot deny that there have been positive changes in the last decade. I would divide these long years of transition into two periods:

1- The 90s where we destroyed every sports facility, football field, sports palace and gym that we inherited from the system we left behind. And not only that. We didn't know who was going to do what, kind of total chaos and without a doubt a dark period for the sport.
2- And the 2000s in which things began to be institutionalized, a better organization began at all levels, there were changes and interventions in the infrastructure and some sporadic results that came from time to time.

During this transition, even football, as the most beloved sport of Albanians, has without a doubt had positive developments in all directions.

Starting from the organizational one. Today, the football clubs that compete in the competitions developed by the Football Federation have the most qualified managerial, leadership and sports structures. They have very clearly defined legal and commercial forms and are part of an organization, which has its own Constitution approved by local and international authorities.

The competitions organized by the AFL are also a remarkable story of transformation. A few years ago, only one national men's championship was organized with 16 teams and a Second Division with a points system.

Today, as we speak, 23 national competitions for boys, 3 national competitions for girls, Regional championships for boys and girls, as well as national competitions for amateur football 5×5, 6×6 and 9×9 are organized where a total of 22 thousand professional footballers play. semi-professionals and amateurs.

Girls' football is also an important space in our football, a big priority of the Federation. Although it has been a little more than a decade since it started, there are 2,000 girls playing football in the whole country and thanks to the projects and initiatives we have undertaken, we aim to double it within the next two years.

Every weekend 1140 boys and girls soccer teams of all levels play soccer across the country. Over 650 officials are engaged in the running of football matches. Over 100 thousand people directly involved create a football economy, which consumes and contributes to the Albanian economy.

Education is another important pillar in the growth and sustainable development of football. Thanks to our policies but also the development of new professions, today we educate, qualify and certify with diplomas valid for the whole world coaches, athletic trainers, goalie coaches, scouts, sports directors and administrators, video analysts, sports doctors and physiotherapists. We are aware that investing in human capital is an important cornerstone to be competitive.

For the improvement of the infrastructure, our policies have been appropriate not only in designing projects and absorbing funds from international organizations, but also in joining them with private investors, academies and football clubs, local and central government. This cooperation has doubled investments in football and the stadiums we have today best confirm this.

In the last decade we have built 62 playing fields, 19 training fields with artificial grass, 13 stadium stands and 76 6×6 football fields mainly in schools. Thanks to the very good cooperation with the Government, today we have "Elbasan Arena", "Loro Boriçin", "Kukës Arena", "Air Albania Stadium" and the process of building three stadiums in Korçë, Durrës and Vlorë has started. Today our national teams have a modern home, a pride of ours such as the Football House that we inaugurated just a few months ago with the participation of FIFA president Infantino.

Thanks to this work, UEFA has entrusted us with the organization of many international activities. Through these activities, we serve young people, to bring them even closer to our sport, improve our organizational experience and also serve as tourism promoters of our country. In the last four years alone, we have organized and are continuing to organize 30 international activities for boys and girls, welcoming to Albania more than 3,000 football players and officials who have stayed an average of 8 days in our coastal area.

The icing on the cake of these organizations was the historic final of the UEFA Conference League that turned Tirana and Albania into the epicenter of world football with 155 countries around the world broadcasting this final, making our country the most impressive advertisement ever made. . Thousands of fans, journalists, legendary football figures, sponsors, people from the world of finance and management, had the opportunity to spend fantastic hours in Tirana, finding a perfect hospitality and organization.

The national team remains the great pride of all Albanians. We must never forget that our boys' team was ranked 110th to 130th in the FIFA rankings and last in the UEFA rankings. Today we are in the 68th place in the world ranking and a few years ago we reached a historical record by being in the 22nd place in the world. In the last two qualifiers for the World Cup we have been ranked third and have called it a failure, thus confirming our hunger for positive results. We should never forget our qualification to the 2016 European Championship, in France, where our red and black team made every Albanian happy and proud.

My friends,

We have many challenges ahead, beyond the positive changes we have achieved, there is still much to do. The Football Federation has worked with the best European experts, drafting the detailed strategy and turning it into a clear work manual in the document "Football for the Nation 2025" where we have set ourselves very ambitious objectives.

1- We aim to build 100 new fields throughout the country
2- Increase to 23 thousand the number of children playing football by 2025
3- Doubling licensed coaches by 2025
4- Doubling the number of girls playing football by in the year 2025

Today, Albanian football, with over 22 thousand young men and women, has its own economy and contributes quite a bit to the country's economy. In a study we conducted together with UEFA and the British company Substance, where we evaluated the direct contribution to the economy, the economic impact of social benefits and the economic impact on health services, we saw that football contributes to the Albanian economy with over 146 million euros per year. A figure that is certainly greater, but not all the requested data could be provided. Also, in a recent OECD study in February of this year, we saw how with 1 euro spent today on sports, you get 2 euros of financial benefits tomorrow.

These data convince us that investing in sports, focusing on it and creating a real sports market and not just football, should be the priority of all factors.

I know that talking about the market in Albania is a topic that certainly evokes reactions, doubts, and even big misunderstandings. It may even sound utopian, seeing that in this country the market still has needs in health, education, construction and other public services. But Albanian football has shown that it is always one step ahead.

Dear friends

The time has come for us to work together to approve a complete legal and fiscal package, which would create the football and sports market in Albania. We should start with the Sponsorship Law. The Albanian economy would be the biggest beneficiary of the creation of this market. The young men and women of this country will also have better conditions and opportunities to raise the flag of our beloved country. Working together, central government, local government, sports organizations and business, I am very sure that we will go far and write a bright page in history.

The income provided by sports betting is also a mechanism that can help the Albanian sports budget. We, as the Albanian Football Federation, and the organization with the largest number of athletes registered in the country, would propose that the distribution of income be clearly defined in the law. How much football, basketball, volleyball and elite sports like weightlifting, wrestling and athletics will benefit, as well as the destination of these funds, not leaving it up to the moods or wishes of certain individuals.

In closing, as I have said many times before, I want to emphasize that children are the future of the nation. Without them, football would die, as would the nation. We owe it to the children of this nation and we must do everything to give better conditions and more opportunities to every young man and woman who wants to play football and have an active life being that way and a better citizen tomorrow.

I thank you all for your attention and patience and I wish good work to this truly special Congress", said Duka.