Dear friends,

For your information. More than 110 countries are developing the sport of futsal. I am positive that entries for next FIFA Futsal World Championship (2004)will surely and clearly exceed the 67 registered for Guatemala 2000.


Queridos amigos,

Para vuestra informacion. Mas de 110 paises estan desarrollando el deporte del futsal. estoy convencido de que con ocasion del proximo Campeonato Mundial de Futsal de la FIFA (2004) sobrepasaremos ampliamente los 67 equipos participantes en las clasificaciones para Guatemala 2000.

Victor Beceiro (FIFA)


Malaysia go BIG on futsal: two newspaper reports>

"THE STAR newspaper"
Malaysia to promote game in schools
By JAMES WONG

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have never done exceptionally well in international football but they are hoping to boost their fortunes in futsal, the five-a-side version of the game.

The FA of Malaysia (FAM) are embarking on an extensive promotion of futsal, a game which they feel can give Malaysia greater international honours despite the players' smaller physique.

For a start, the FAM will direct all states to organise state-level futsal competitions to select their team to take part in the second national league in either April or May. The league will also feature teams from the universities, civil service and colleges.

The FAM's secretary general, Datuk Dell Akbar Khan, is optimistic that players in Malaysia can do better in futsal, which is more a game of skill, compare to 11-a-side football where the emphasis is much more on physique and speed.

"Actually, we stand more chances in futsal because it is a game where there is not so much body contact," said Dell yesterday.
Futsal can be played indoor or outdoor on a pitch approximately the size of a basketball court and the players need not be big and tall and he noted that
Brazil, whose players were
smaller but highly skilled in
the game, fared well.

Dell said that the FAM council
would decide during their
meeting on Dec 22 on the
promotion of futsal, including
efforts to introduce the game to
primary school students.

"The FAM futsal committee have
met (yesterday) with the
representative from the MSSM
(Malaysian Schools Sports
Council) to find ways to expose
the game in primary schools on a
fun basis. We are also hoping to
attract players who are
currently involved in the street
soccer," he said.

"We want to create a different
group of futsal players as
compared to footballers in line
with the FIFA objective to
popularising the game."

Earlier, Dell launched the
Malaysian leg of the Sports
Toto-Hyundai five-a-side World
Championship, which will be
played at the Wisma FAM on Jan
13.

On offer at the one-day
tournament will be RM3,000 for
the winners, who will represent
Malaysia in the South-East Asian
regional playoffs in either
Singapore or Malaysia in April.

The regional winners will
compete in the World Finals in
South Korea and it will be
staged in conjunction with the
FIFA World Cup.

Closing date for entries,
limited to 32 teams, will be on
Dec 31. Teams would be chosen
based on the design of their
team logo. Only amateur players
will be allowed to take part.


THE NEW STRAITS TIMES newspaper
Soccer
Malaysia aim to push futsal aggressively

TUES: THE FA of Malaysia,
realising the potential of futsal
(five-a-side) soccer, will adopt
a more aggressive approach in
promoting and developing the game
next year.

Admitting that Malaysia has a
better chance in excelling in
this style of soccer, FAM
secretary general Datuk Dell
Akbar Khan said State FAs will be
encouraged to set up their own
futsal leagues next year.

The inaugural national level
tournament was organised last May
and Dell said the state level
championships would further help
develop the sport.

"Fifa (soccer's governing body)
is running its own futsal
programme and it is only right
that we do so too.

"We have, based on futsal's
requirements, a far better chance
in excelling in this style of
soccer that the regular game,"
said Dell after launching the
Sports Toto-Hyundai five-a-side
championships logo at Wisma FAM
in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Tackling is banned in futsal and
skill, rather than brawn,
separates winners from losers and
Dell said this was in Malaysia's
favour.

"Furthermore, you don't need tall
players in futsal and if we can
develop the game, then Malaysia
should go far." For the record,
Malaysia qualified for the 1996
World Futsal championship in
Segovia, Spain.

That was supposed to have set off
an indepth foray into futsal but
the much talked about national
tournament only materialised this
year.

"FAM's futsal committee met today
(yesterday) and decided to
recommend that State FAs organise
their respective futsal leagues.

"The tournaments should be opened
to universities, the Government
Services colleges and other
institutes of higher learning as
we want to create a different
batch of players for futsal."
Dell said futsal will also be
introduced in primary schools
soon.