Success in sports source of national pride and it indicates high standard of culture and development of nation Champion Selected Myanmar Youth Soccer Team honoured

YANGON, 3 Oct — A ceremony to honour the Selected Myanmar Youth Soccer Team who won AFF U-17 Youth Championship-2005 was held this afternoon at Sedona Hotel here.

Chairman of Myanmar National Olympic Council Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein attended the ceremony and presented prizes to players of the team.

It was also attended by Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Myint Swe, ministers, Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee, members of Myanmar Olympic Committee, deputy ministers, departmental officials, officials of Union Solidarity and Development Association, Myanmar War Veteran’s Organization, Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation and Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association, Myanmar Sports Federation, Myanmar Women’s Sports Federation, Myanmar Soccer Federation, manager, coaches and players of the Selected Myanmar Youth Soccer Team.

At the ceremony, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein delivered a speech. In his speech, he said youth team’s success in sport is a national pride and it also signifies that Myanmar’s sports standard is high.

Myanmar soccer team had not won the championship title for 30 years. It was in 2002 that Myanmar youth soccer team became a champion of ASEAN U-17 Youth Championship-2002. The youth team also grasped the championship titles of the ASEAN U-18 Youth Championship-2003 and BIMSTEC YU-18 Youth Championship 2004. Selected Myanmar Youth - U-20 Team also became the champion of ASEAN U-20 Youth Championship-2005 and the U -17 team also could retain its championship title for the second year.

On behalf of the State, Myanmar National Olympic Committee and Myanmar football enthusiasts, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein also praised the U-17 team for their performance.

Selected Myanmar U-17 Team comprises three players of Sports and Physical Training Department-SPTD (Yangon), six of SPTD (Mandalay) and others. After defeating Indonesia, Thailand and Laos, the team not only became a champion but also won the fair play award.

There is a concept that success in sports is a source of national pride and it indicates the high standard of culture and development of a nation. Therefore, the government uplifted the Myanmar’s sports standard with national outlook.

The government is taking systematic measures for uplift of the standard of Myanmar Sports. At such a time, departmental bodies, social organizations, those from such fields as literary, music, thabin and movies, the people and sports enthusiasts are giving encouragement to Myanmar sports.

The entire national people including children long for the success of Myanmar Sports and are giving encouragement to it. That is why the ASEAN U-17 Champion Myan-mar Youth Football Team was accorded a rousing welcome along the route from the airport to the Aung San Stadium. It highlights national prestige and integrity and national fervour of the entire national people. Hence, the athletes, on their part, are to try their utmost for further achievements in sports, combining their diligence, industry, efforts and discipline.

At present, Myanma football enthusiasts have been able to enjoy international football matches through the world media. They are to truly assess that there is a great gap between the standard of Myanmar football and that of international matches. The aim of Myanmar football is to secure top position in ASEAN matches and regain the achievements in Asian matches, thereby meeting the world football standard.

Now, Myanmar becomes more successful in sport, but it is required to be more ambitious and to make unremitting efforts to be able to penetrate ASEAN level, then Asian level, and the world level. Correct techniques, hard training, fitness, healthiness and perseverance are keys to success. He urged the youths to continue endeavouring hard with mindfulness and diligence to be able to maintain the momentum of achievement.

In conclusion, he said that as it is an opportune time when the State and the entire people are providing wholehearted support and assistance for the higher standard of the nation’s sport, calling on them to make continued efforts with strong vigour to maintain the already-achieved momentum; to become players of selected Myanmar soccer team; to help Myanmar U-20 team deservedly defeat the rivals to reach the final stage at the Asian U-20 soccer tournament to be hosted in Myanmar in November 2005, and win the trophy; and to help constantly air the song “We Myanmar have won the trophy” so as to fulfil the great desire of the entire national people.

Leader of the team Deputy Director of the Sports and Physical Education Department U Kyaw Hsan recounted the preparations for the tournament and the experiences. Skipper of the team Pyae Phyo Oo expressed gratitude.

Next, the Myanmar Olympic Council and the Myanmar National Olympic Committee presented K 5 million; the Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, K 500,000; MFF Patron U Teza, K 15 million; MFF Chairman U Zaw Zaw, K 10 million; U Aung Ko Win (Kanbawza Bank Co Ltd), K 5 million; Dagun Football Club, U Tint Hsan (ACE Construction), Dr Zaw Tun (SSE) and China Airline, K 2 million each; First Eleven Sport, K 1.1 million; Alpine Purified Water, United Machinery, Golden Flower Construction, Suntech Technology and Myanmar Hoteliers Association, K 1 million each; Nyan Win Publishing Enterprise, K 2 million; Myanmar Kaido Co Ltd, Maung Weik and family, U Aung Kyaw Hsan (Ye Man Construction), U Myo Thein (Bayintnaung Brokers’ Sales Centre), Daw Khaung Nan, and Great Wall Traditional Medicine Enterprise, K 500,000 each; A One Construction Co Ltd, K 2.5 million; U Aung Zaw, and Pan Wut Yi, K 300,000; Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association, K 500,000; Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, and Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association, K 500,000 each; and Daw Aye Myat Nwe (Bagan Hotel), K 2 million to the team. Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein, Minister Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, and Mayor Brig-Gen Aung Thein Lin accepted the donations. The documentary video feature of the experiences of the Myanmar youth team throughout the tournament was shown to those present.

A dinner was hosted to the footballers.