By David Gold
November 2 – FIFA has donated $300,000 (£188,000/€218,000) to efforts to boost football infrastructure in Christchurch, where a devastating earthquake struck the Canterbury region earlier this year.
The quake hit the region in February, killing dozens, and came less than half a year after another 7.0 magnitude earthquake had struck.
The FIFA donation adds to the $140,000 (£88,000/€102,000) given last June from a hardship fund set up by Mainland Football and consisting of money given by New Zealand Football, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and the Japanese Football Association, among others.
FIFA has also completed a GOAL project creating a state of the art all weather pitch at the ASB Football Park, and the $1.6 million (£1 million/€1.1 million) construction was one of the first major constructions to be completed in Christchurch since February 22, and for which world football’s governing body contributed a third of the overall cost.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said: “We have been working closely with OFC and New Zealand Football to identify the needs of the community following these devastating earthquakes.
“I am honoured and delighted to confirm the new funding and trust that it will be used effectively to show once again how football can help bring people together thanks to the fair play and friendship that it promotes.”
“Football in Canterbury was hit hard, with the damage to 40 or so grounds leading to over 1500 players missing out on football this past season,” added Mainland Football chairman Mark Stewart.
“The opening of the FIFA GOAl Project at ASB Football Park will go a long way to getting those players back into football and this latest gesture will have a huge impact at key football facilities all around the Canterbury region.”
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