Lubango – The Angolan Skating Federation (FAP) needs at least one billion kwanzas per year to launch a broad and effective massification program in the country.
FAP's annual budget is 400 million kwanzas, and this year it only received 150 million kwanzas that were used for the training of athletes and referees, African and national competitions, in addition to the rental of pavilions that hosted sports events, as well as current expenses.
Speaking to ANGOP in Lubango on Monday, the chairperson of the FAP, Dionísio Viegas, who has been in this city since Saturday where he attended the final of the cup of the sport, won by the Sacred Heart of Jesus against Petro de Luanda by 4-1, said that with the availability of this amount, Angolan hockey would grow and reduce the difficulties that the organization has been facing.
If there is such money, he highlighted the commitment to take the sport to some provinces of the country where it does not exist, with emphasis on Huambo, Namibe, Cunene, Cuando Cubango and Malanje, with a view to enhancing the practice in these parts.
“We also intend to invest in regular competitions in the youth teams, in order to gain performance and increase the range of options for the national teams, because currently the senior team depends 90 percent on players performing in foreign countries,” he said.
Taking stock of the twentieth edition of the Angola Cup, within the scope of the 'Dipanda', the former practitioner considered the organizational level to be positive, despite the low presence of spectators.
On the occasion, he congratulated the local government for always being available in the creation of all the logistical conditions that helped, to a great extent, in the performance of the players and the entire organization involved for this purpose.
He stressed that Huíla is a 'barn' of sports receptions for national games and beyond, which enhances sport in particular and tourism in general. JT/MS/TED/DOJ
