AFC chief showers praise on FFSL

Elmo Rodrigopulle

To the connoisseur, the AFC Challenge Cup was conducted with great efficiency, so much so that the Football Federation of Sri Lanka has come in for high praise from the Asian Football Confederation President Mohammad Bin Hammam.

Hammam considers Colombo his home from home and superb and I hope you will come forward to host more AFC competitions and says a big thank you to Senior Vice President of AFC and Chairman, Management Committee FFSL Manilal Fernando who he calls dear brother, indicating that he is not lacking in genuine and caring friends when he is here. 'I am touched by the great lengths you took to make my stay comfortable,' he further states.

In a note of to the President FFSL Hurley Silveria he asks the local body to accept his appreciation and gratitude for your wonderful hospitality during my recent visit to Colombo for the AFC Challenge cup 2010.

He was so delighted with the excellent conducting of the tournament and says big thank you is also due to you and your wonderful team for hosting the third edition of the AFC Challenge Cup. The organization was superb and I hope you will come forward to host more AFC competitions in future.

Continuing Hammam also appreciates the opportunity to address the South Asian Football Federation Executive Committee. Please be assured that you can depend on me for support you might need in developing football in the South Asian region.

Your hospitality and kindness will never be forgotten and I look forward to coming back to Colombo in the future.

Please convey my thanks to your colleagues of Sri Lanka FA the organizer of the competition and all football family who made our stay in your beautiful country so wonderful and memorable.

When contacted and asked whether the FFSL would agree to conduct another AFC tournament, Management Committee Chairman, and Senior Vice Presient AFC, the charismatic Manilal Fernando said: Any time AFC has only to ask.