General Assembly 2019 - FSHF

General Assembly 2019

Today in the premises of ‘’ Tirana International’’ Hotel was held the General Assembly of the Albanian Football Association. The President of AFA, Mr. Armand Duka delivered for the present the report of this assembly:
Honored members of the Albanian Football Association!
Honored representative of FIFA, Heidi Beha!
Honored representative of UEFA, Denis Bastari!
Honored deputy minister Mr. Kostandin Shkurti!
Honored Chairman of the Kosovo Federation, Mr. Agim Ademi!
Honored homologues of Federations and other institutions!
Respected representatives of the media!
Dear friends and guests!
Good morning and welcome today at the assembly of our football association. It is a pleasure for me to be here again, together with you in this annual gathering, where we will report and analyzed the work of 2018, to underline the objectives for the future of our association and for our dearest game, football. In the report of the activity of the Executive Committee and the Association, you will find a material filled with details and numbers for the activities that have been held during this year in our football activity.
Like in the previous years, even during 2018, together we have made a lot of good work in developing and modernizing our beloved game.
The investments have continued even during this year with a high pace that before, building training fields, reconstructing sports premises, investment in social responsibility projects, investments in schools and kindergartens for the sports education of children and our work continues with other big projects, the national stadium which is expected to be inaugurated this year and the house of football that will open its door not only for the Administration of AFA but for all the national teams.
The national and amateur competitions have been followed with professionalism by the officials of AFA, with the participants making the best to have a higher level in organizing the sports activities. But nevertheless, we have not escaped from the negative phenomena such as violence or fixing of results.
The international representation has not been within our expectations. Even though we stayed at the group of Nations League, the A team didn’t give what was expected, which made us remove the staff. The ‘’under’’ teams didn’t achieve the right results. To be noted are the international results, the representation of our association and the qualification of the national Futsal team that deserve the compliments.
Regarding finances, the situation is positive and solid, with a secure future. We have increased our revenues from the sponsorships, tickets, advertisements and donations. We have kept under control all the expenditures.
Education has been the success of the year, with the preparation of the coaches and managers. The children’s football in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the project Grassroots has been an important step and absolute priority for this year.
2018 has given us many challenges or other difficulties, but we have always tried to find the best of solutions for all our members. Not only during this year, but during the entire mutual journey of transition, AFA has done an extraordinary job for developing football.
Dear members, as I stated before, new challenges await for us. Football is a game that has evolved exponentially and with huge pace during the last years in Albania compared with the social development of our society. But it is necessary to face the different realities of the European football.
We should prepare for the new challenges.
Now is the moment to take another qualitative step towards the development of the game and our product. We can only take these steps if we are together, the members of AFA support it, leaving behind small interests, and look forward for the secure future of our game.
Licensing- it is important the review of our licensing system, the conditions and the criteria for different categories etc. This requires the understanding and cooperation of all the members. The qualitative step that we want to take is related to the important decisions; you first have to support these decisions for the best of the clubs and associations that you lead.
Through the licensing system we will realize our policies on only on infrastructure but also in the method of sports education of the children. Closing one eye, sometimes even both, as it has happened until yesterday should never occur anymore. We cannot have unsuitable stadiums for the respective categories; it is the duty of the clubs and the local governments to bring them to the licensing levels. We are willing to support them in all the ways but not tolerate their licensing. The organization and formalization of the clubs is an important pillar for having a qualitative football, and we will support it with projects, assistance and aid.
Elimination of negative phenomena
Violence is another negative phenomenon that heavily damages the game and our product. It is impossible to tolerate such acts in a civilized society. The disciplinary commissions have constantly taken measures for these events, but fighting this phenomenon requires a greater cooperation from all the actors, starting from AFA itself, the members, the clubs, the coaches, players, fans and above all from the state structures with the identification and punishment of all individuals that cause violence act at our stadiums.
Everyone should be cautious that such acts no nothing more than damaging us, push away the fans from the stadiums and leave the game in the hands of some malicious individuals.
Fixing of results is another phenomenon that shouldn’t exist in our world. Despite the great efforts that we have made during the last years and the visible improvement, this phenomenon continues to exist.

Fixing the result of the matches, as any negative phenomenon, cannot be fought alone. The efforts that AFA has made, have not found the necessary support of the responsible institutions. Together we should continue in punishing and eliminating this phenomenon and in order to achieve this we will seek the cooperation of the Prosecution’s office.
All together we shall say STOP to these phenomenon that damage football, damage the emotions of true fans and at the same time they damage directly the members, as true investors and contributors of football.
Together we are stronger. Together we can leap towards quality and success. We shall be united in order to build a new era in developing football in Albania.
We have it clear of what we are going to do, where we want to go and how we can achieve it. We have written them in a document, the Strategy of Albanian Football until 2030.
What I want to assure is that the President and the Executive Committee of AFA will always support the projects of our members that are related to the development of football, with the building of the future and with the fight against damaging phenomenon that damage football.
I want to thank you once again for your participation and your support during the year we left behind, I want that 2019 brings:
• More people who play football
• Organized teams and clubs
• Beautiful football
• More fans
• Only Fair Play
• The best of results for the national teams