SYDNEY

28 February 2013

 

FFA CEO David Gallop has today put his support behind the footballaustralia.com.au ‘Grounds for Complaint’ campaign.

‘Grounds for Complaint’ is a grassroots initiative that aims to give a voice to Australia’s football community to raise concerns about the chronic shortage of good pitches, training facilities, floodlights and change rooms.

“I have heard many stories over my first 100 days as FFA CEO about the difficulty players, clubs and administrators have in gaining access to facilities. This is a fundamental concern that we must address as football’s governing body.

“Creating an online forum to aggregate these stories is a step in the right direction. Our goal is not only to identify the most affected regions, but to help clubs and associations find solutions to ensure our game can continue to grow.”

One of the major issues on the agenda is the campaign by Football West for a ‘Home of Football’ in Western Australia.

“Creating a Home of Football in WA is an important project and I'm delighted to endorse the very worthy campaign Football West are leading,” said Gallop.

“Football is the number one participation sport in this country and our game deserves not only a home in each state, but a national home as well.”

In early 2013, www.footballaustralia.com.au launched ‘Grounds for Complaint’ – a forum for fans, administrators, players and coaches to bring their local issues into focus.

“For every football pitch available in Australia, there are 140 players who want to use it,” opened Mike Cockerill, footballaustralia.com.au Associate Editor in his first Grounds for Complaint column in late January 2013.

A National Facilities Audit in 2011 showed that for every football ground available there was 140 players wanting access to it.

At a time when player registrations continue to grow there is little argument that supply of adequate football facilities is failing to meet demand.

With the continued explosion of interest in women's football the issues the game faces at a grassroots level is even more pressing.

Players of all ages, genders and cultures are desperate to get onto the park. ‘Grounds for Complaint’ is a forum where opinions can be expressed, issues raised and - in the case of the recent announcement of a $2.2 million upgrade to Lambert Park in Sydney’s inner west - action taken.

 FFA MEDIA RELEASE