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As you know, the IOC (International Olympic Committe) had a meeting in the end of August. The purpose was to see what Sports they will accept in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The question of Futsal was asked. The IOC prefer NOT to include Futsal in the Olympic Games.

The arguments... and Answer.



As a consequence of the report presented by the Chairman of the Olympic Programme Commission, Mr Franco Carraro, to the members of the IOC Executive Board in their meeting of August 2002, and according to the specific recommendation regarding the admission of Futsal in the Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

"The Commission considered the low global participation in this discipline, and also the principle of not including event of a similar nature within a sport was noted. The requirements of a separate venue for this sport were taken into consideration.The Commission therefore does not recommend the admission of futsal in the Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad."

FIFA should bring into the attention of the IOC the following remarks on such considerations.

Clarification to the observations and views mentioned in this report:

1. "… low global participation… "

- As in September 2002, Futsal is played in more than a hundred (100) countries.

- It has to be noted that the evolution in participation in the FIFA Futsal World Championships went from the initial 16 invited teams for Netherlands 1989 up to 64 countries taking part in the qualifying rounds for the fourth FIFA Futsal Championship Guatemala 2000.

- FIFA Futsal (men's and women's) development programmes, mainly launched after Guatemala 2000 in direct cooperation with the respective national associations and confederations, reach up to a total of 126 countries.

- This participation in FIFA competitions will catch up with the figures shown for the number of countries participating in FIFA development programmes while continuing to adjust the international Futsal calendar to the most suitable format for all the different continents and regions.

- Women's Futsal is played in an overall number of around 40-50 countries.

- All continents equally participate in such expansion.

- Futsal is the only official version of small-sized-football, which has become an appropriate, suitable and popular start in recreational and registered football for early-aged players.

- Today's overall participants could easily be numbered in 100 million players. As a token of such popularity, it is necessary to refer to the survey conducted in 2001 by the Italian Olympic National Committee (CONI) showed that "nearly four million people in Italy regularly play five-a-side football, compared to some one million active eleven-a-side players". (UEFA Media Release, 28/11/2001)

2. "… principle of not including event of a similar nature within a sport … "

This assertion includes two terms that are vaguelydescribed. "similar nature" and "sport" require a further clarification.

"Similar nature"

- Futsal has developed its own coaching, refereeing and playing fundamentals and skills.

- Such fundamentals, though based on Football principles, require specific and differenced training.

- FIFA Football and Futsal Development Programmes have been developed under completely different contents.

- Futsal is no more similar to Football than other Summer Olympic sports:
Beach Volley to Volley
Artistic Gymnastics to Rhythmic Gymnastics
Water polo to Swimming
Canoeing to Rowing
Judo to Wrestling or/and Taekwondo
Table Tennis to Tennis

"Sport"

- As admitted by the authors of the Olympic Programme Commission Executive Board Report, August 2002, page 9, point 2.5, " … the Olympic Charter does not provide a definition of Sport ... While there is no global definition of what constitutes a sport, and what the difference between a sport and a game is, the most commonly accepted element of a sport is physical exertion in the conduct of a competition".

- Therefore, any consideration on the nature of Futsal and its inclusion "within" other "sport" may be the object of further discussion.

- The nature of Futsal is defined in FIFA Statutes (II. Objects, Art. 2) as a "type of association football", NOT as type of eleven-a-side football. Consequently, FIFA does not state that Futsal is an event within the sport of Football.

3. "… requirements of a separate venue … "

- The 2000 FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game, current edition, states that the measurements of the pitch will be no larger than 42 meters length and 22 meters width and no smaller than 38 and 18 meters respectively.

- International FIFA Futsal competitions must be played in Halls.

- The Futsal competition may perfectly be played in venues and facilities where other sports competitions as Handball, Basketball and even Volleyball or Gymnastics are held.

- In addition, Futsal crowd capacity venues or facilities should not demand larger dimensions that the already existing for the above-mentioned sports.

- One of the reasons of Futsal becoming more and more popular all over the world lies in the fact that multidisciplinary sport facilities and gyms allow the combination of Futsal and other indoor sports.

Other comments:

According to the principles outlined in this same Olympic Programme Commission Executive Board Report, August 2002, it is mentioned that several key principles should be reflected in the Olympic Programme (page 5, point 2.1).

Among all of them, Futsal respond to the so-called "Sport specific considerations".

Let's review them:

Futsal carries an evident social value since the game and its laws of the game comply with such principles as
- Athlete's health (a sport where contact is highly limited)
- Education
- Non-discrimination (one of the sports that allow Islamic women to practice sport)
- Fair-play (Futsal limits and strongly punishes committing fouls at all)
- Solidarity (as clearly developed at any FIFA activity)

Futsal shows a direct emphasis on youth and development
- So it is referred in points 1 and 2 of this FIFA clarification document
- This is exactly FIFA philosophy in the implementation of the FIFA Development programmes, on an on-line format, and where Futsal has achieved a relevant profile and importance not only at the short term but also at medium and long-term.

Futsal is both practiced by Women and Men

Remarks will clarify the current status of Futsal and will provide the IOC with an appropriate approach to Futsal as to re-evaluate any previous recommendation.

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