CARGILLS KICKS OFF GO-FOR-THE-GOLD SRI LANKA FOOTBALL INITIATIVE AHEAD OF SAFF CUP 2015
Cargills (Ceylon) PLC together with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) ceremonially kicked off the GO FOR THE GOLD Sri Lanka Football initiative at the Race Course Grounds today.
The Sri Lanka National Football team, National Women’s Football Team and the National Youth Under-19 Teams participated at the Kick Off Ceremony. The FFSL in its Short Term Development strategy is aiming to achieve a Medal at the up and coming South Asian Football Federation Cup to be played in India later this year.
The Federation expressed its sincere gratitude to Cargills for coming forward as a crusader for Sri Lanka Football for the long term. Cargills is the National Partner of Sri Lanka Football for a period of 5 years starting 2014. “Their commitment remained despite several below-par performances recorded at the time of the signing of the initial contract. Cargills as the National Partner is continuing its partnership with the Football Federation not onlyto develop football in the country but also working towards enhancing the value of football through its professionalism in Image and network,” Anura De Silva, President FFSL commented.
Football can touch youth across communities
Ranjit Page, Deputy Chairman of Cargills noted that Football is a game that has the length and breadth to touch youth across communities. “Our association with the games is closely linked with this ability to reach Sri Lankans which is very similar to our own corporate philosophy. We believe Sri Lanka Football can be further harnessed through our Retail chain to empower the different levels of the game from club-level to grassroots.”
Other than being National Partner in Football Cargills also sponsors the FA Cup series which in 2015 attracted over 600 clubs from across the country. The Cargills Food City FA Cup had a registration over 16,000 players and the grand finals brought together over 15,000 spectators to the grounds.
The Kotmale Under-19 Schools Football Championship that has earned a reputation as a colorful and competitive tournament for schools is also sponsored by Cargills. The Championship has succeeded in restoring the lost-glory of schools football and is now a much anticipated tournament at that level.
The Cargills Kotmale grassroots programmes worked out island widehas created a fun platform for the activation of football among kids while also being a train-the-trainer programme to educate coaches on football and nutrition aspect for kids.
Long term partnership to enhance the game to professional heights
“Our commitment towards Sri Lanka Football is a long term one and we would be looking to extend our support beyond a sponsorship to that of a partnership whereby the game and its players would yield value and garner strength from our association. Cargills is privileged to be associated with the game and we look to the Federation to nurture football into one of the most popular and sort after sports in Sri Lanka,” Page added.
