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 Mogadishu, (insidesomalia.org) the first round of the 18th Somali Regional Football tournament since 1989 has started on Friday in Jowhar district, the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle, says local reporter in Jowhar.
The first martch played in Jowhar Stadium was between teams Middle Shabelle and Hiran regions, and Middle shabelle team defeated Hiran 2-1.
According to Saiid Mohamed Mugambe, Chairman of Somalia National Football Federation the regions were divided into four zones to play:
Zone (1) Lower Shabelle, Middle Jubba and lower Jubba regions.
Zone (2) .Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions.
Zone (3) Middle Shabelle, Hiran, Galguduud, and Banadir.
Zone (4) Nugal, Mudugh, Sool, Sanag and Bari regions.
"The main objective of this regional tournament is to create culture for peace among Somali youngsters, intermingling among Somali clans and to facilitate selections of young players from the the regions to join short lists of national football squad" said Abdiqani Saiid Arab, General Secretary of the Somali National Football Federation speaking to insidesomalia.org.
After regional teams play knock-outs those with the higher points of each Zonal group will play the second round in Mogadishu and will lead quarterly Simi finals and finals.
Nationlink Telecom, a privately telecommunication Company sponsored the Tournament by equipping the teams involving the tournaments which was once the most interesting football tournaments in the country.
" The government's attention is diverted from sports activeties by other issues including on going violence in the capital, and Nationlik decides to fill the vacuum funding the tournament by equiping all the teams" said Abdi-qani Arab.
Sports fans in Jowhar attending the opening ceremony and the first martch said this tournaments reminded them early 1970s and 1980s when many Somalia's footbal icons such as Ibrahim Ahmed "Shash", a well-known defender of former Horseed team played for Lower Jubba"Kismayo" and Mohamed Ismail 'Sitey", a prominent striker of former Horseed team played for North West region (Know the self declared Republic of Somaliland).
The tournament coincides when fighting is going on in the capital since 2006 between allied Somali government and Ethiopian troops against Islamic insurgents that regrouped themselves after Union of Islamic Courts were ousted from Mogadishu and many parts of South Somalia.
Somalia's football team suffers from no grass roots infrastructure, proper training facilities and lack of investment to compete at highest level. All the stadiums have been destroyed or are being used for other means; the national stadium is used as military base by Ethiopian Army. National Stadium looks like scene out of Lord of War with Nicolas Cage.
Compared to other countries in Africa whose players managed to break into best leagues such as in England's Premiership and Spain's La Liga, Somalia footballers don't have opportunity to practice their trade at highest level.
Most of the Somali Football team takes part in East & Central African play-offs and competition of the Arab league countries but with limited success.
Before the civil war Somalia had 8 big football teams with utmost experienced players and illustrious coaches. Those known celebrated Somali football clubs were: Horseed club, Mogadishu, Jeenyo, Wagad, Waxool, Batroolka, Badda, and Madbaca.
After the civil war all known football clubs collapsed and new clubs emerged and the best one is Elman Football Club sponsored by World Concern, an international NGO.
Elman Football is the only team being paid and the team tours around the regions of the country earning player with higher qualities to play for the team.
Elderly football icons who themselves influenced by ongoing conflict, unemployment and the social problems existing in Somalia had established an association to support Somali Football players.
Chairman of the Union Abdulahi Siyad, former midfielder of Madbacadda team and a coach, the aim of this association is to acquire a strong Somali National team.
"Instead of fighting with guns, we are trying to give young people and country in general to put their energy on the field".
In a country forgotten by the International community, people such as Abdullahi Siyad and National Football Federation are trying to piece together some normality and bring "hope". It is highly admiring considering situation on the ground.
Due to the Somalia's regional Football tournament which was established on early 1970s was the most interested championships in the country and lower Jubba Region "Kismayo" won eight champions, while the other ten champions won by Banadir, lower Shabelle,middle Shabelle and North West .
It was a kind of inter- action and mingling among Somali People especially youth and the former military regime imposed that each player stay and live with a family he never met before during the tournament in Mogadishu or else where in the provincial capitals of the country.
This tournaments could shift people’s attention from as it is now where fighting has commonly came as day by day event and could solve disputes , challenges and confrontations to stable and peace environment.
The government could use sports activities, its main support to rehabilitate young militias and start culture for peace including these regional tournaments if not diverted its attention from such activities by other issues such repulsing insurgent attacks, said one of organizers of the event who criticized the government ignoring the role of the sports in the inter-mingling among the people.
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