Umar confident of beating Manil to FFSL presidency

By Susil Premalal

Jaswar Umar, who is aiming to become President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), played down the challenge posed by main rival Dr. Manil Fernando at the upcoming elections scheduled for June 1. 
“There are 186 votes at this election. I am sure of getting at least 115 votes or may be even more because I have gone all around the country and explained my vision to the leagues,” said Umar at a media conference at Taj Samudra, yesterday.

“However, if by chance I am not elected as President, I will give up football administration but will not give up my association with football,” said Umar, the incumbent FFSL General Secretary.

“I served as an office-bearer of FFSL for the past four years and have shown my capabilities. I know how to take football forward in future. I am popular among the football leagues in the country and I am confident of achieving victory in the June 1 election,” he said.

An old boy of Royal College, he represented the school from 1985 to 1993. He took up refereeing in 1992 and came into football administration initially through the Referees Association.
“I don’t represent any club or league now because it will be a conflict of interest. I want to maintain my neutrality as an official of FFSL,” said Umar, who also served as an AFC Match Commissioner.

Unveiling his manifesto titled ‘Restart Football’, his vision is to make Sri Lanka “a nation of football in South Asia”.
“My victory is assured because my vision is appreciated by the football leagues in the country. I know who will vote for me and who will not because I have gone all around the country. I don’t need to buy league votes to win the election,” he said.   “Before we aim to win a Cup, we have to restructure the administrative set up which is in a mess now,” he said.

Umar has initiated several projects for the development of football, from being the pioneer of the semi-professional Lanka Super League to organizing the FIFA World cup 2018 trophy tour in the country and founding the Football Friday programme.