Grassroots event shows football's universal appeal

As part of UEFA’s annual Grassroots Week, girls and boys from all over the country attended a major event organised by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (NFSBiH) at its national training centre in Zenica.

Opening the event, the NFSBiH’s general secretary, Jasmin Baković, said: “Your presence here today is proof that our sport is a thing of the utmost importance and a football is the most universal object in the world – something that binds us much more tightly together than any of the other things we have in common.

“This annual event is organised by the NFSBiH in cooperation with UEFA, which promotes grassroots football with a view to supporting this wonderful sport of ours. We have large numbers of boys and girls here with us today, from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, making this a great day for our association and football as a whole and showing not only that we are a socially responsible organisation, but also that football is for everyone – girls and boys alike.”

The NFSBiH’s grassroots programme seeks to give everyone access to football, regardless of their gender, race, religion and nationality.

The event was attended by boys and girls from the following football schools: Piksi (Pale), Akademija Atletico 1919 (Orasje), OFK Bihać (Bihac), FK Borac (Jelah), Udruženje Mali most (Mostar), Don Bosco (Zepce), JU Mjedenica (Sarajevo), ŠF Ačko (Doboj), FK Glasinac (Sokolac) and NK Fojnica (Fojnica).

Ahmet Kečalović, a coach at OFK Bihać, said: “This is a fantastic event. Our kids are overjoyed at being here and having the opportunity to socialise with peers from other clubs across the country. We are delighted to be here representing our club and the city of Bihac.”

This article originally appeared in UEFA Direct 181