NISA calls special meeting to discuss the removal of OFC membership and way forward for soccer in Niue
The Niue Island Soccer Association (NISA) is calling an urgent special general meeting this week to discuss the removal of their membership from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
BCN news understands that this has come about as a result of a news item on Radio NZ Pacific over the weekend on March 6th that Niue was removed as an associate member of Oceania Football. “Niue’s associate membership status with the Oceania Football Confederation has been revoked following a decade of inactivity”
The Radio New Zealand news reported that “The former Niue Island Soccer Association has been inactive for the past 10 years, putting it in breach of the OFC Statutes”.
Jamal Veidreyaki (pictured) a member of NISA says that the allegations that the Niue Island Soccer Association was inactive over the past ten years are inaccurate and false.
Veidreyaki says that in 2010 they applied for funding and received US$7,000 which they then used to purchase futsal equipment and organised a tournament in 2011 where Mutalau (pictured) team played as well.
NISA again held another tournament in 2015 which was won by Vaiea. This tournament also saw an increase in the number of teams participating but like many other sporting codes in Niue, the lack of regular tournaments is due to the player interest level and player fatigue with so few people playing many different sports.
In a statement to BCN news Veidreyaki said that after the news broke with Radio NZ she contacted the Oceania Football Confederation and was told that Niue had nominated someone from NZ to represent Niue or to report to OFC that NISA has been inactive for the past ten years.
“I inquired to OFC and I was told that Niue (I don’t know who) had nominated someone from NZ to represent Niue or to report to OFC that NISA has been inactive for the past 10 years!”
The NISA president is Fisa Pihigia who is the current Niue High Commissioner to New Zealand and the vice president is Deve Talagi.
A public notice on social media is calling on “All Niue soccer players past and present to come along and discuss Niue’s exclusion from OFC and to discuss and set a new way forward”.
According to the RNZ report, the OFC says that they are aware a new organisation representing Niue is being established and welcomes its application for associate membership.
