Courtesy: Daily San Diego Soccer News


Para Sounds Off on Futsal Federation

By Kathryn Snyder

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Alex J.C. Para is president and CEO of the United States Futsal Federation, the national governing body for the sport. He recently spoke to XK San Diego about his efforts to make Futsal an Olympic sport and the upcoming Southwest Regional Championship in LA.

XKSD: Tell us about your efforts to make Futsal an Olympic sport.

AP: There are four kinds of Olympics – the Special Olympics, Winter Olympics, Pan-American Olympics and the Olympics. The Pan-Americans are for the Western Hemisphere from Argentina to Canada. I sent my first letter to the Pan-American Olympic Games in 1985. In 2008, Futsal became a Pan-American Olympic sport. So it took 23 years. But with this kind of thing, it’s not about what you know, but who you know. Futsal has a lot of clout in Brazil, where the Pan-Americans were held.

XKSD: So when will Futsal be in the Olympics?

AP: It won’t be in London but it will be in Brazil in 2016. I’m not sure how they’ll do it. Futsal players who are U10-U16 now will be old enough to compete in Futsal in the Olympics.

XKSD: What Futsal competitions is the Federation planning near the San Diego area?

AP: There are two competitions within the next year that are within driving distance. First is the Southwest Regional Championship in conjunction with Nike. That takes place over Presidents Day Weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Anyone can sign up. There will be around 1,500 teams competing. The regional winners then compete in the National Championship, which will be in July of 2010 in Anaheim. In that tournament, there will be about 250 teams competing.







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com