Fatma Samura: “I wear the scarf given by Minnikhanov quite often. FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samura visited Vladimir
There are only 8 days left before the start of the World Cup, and thousands of fans from all over the world are about to begin arriving in our country. Of course, many of them will want to visit the ancient cities of the Vladimir region, especially since our regional center has received the right to call itself the “Cultural Capital of the World Cup.”
Today our city was visited by the second person in world football - FIFA Secretary General, a native of Senegal, Fatma Samoura. Governor Svetlana Orlova conducted a tour of Vladimir for the distinguished guest. It was no coincidence that the Patriarchal Garden was chosen for a walk: where else does such a delightful view of the ancient Kremlin and Cathedrals open? Let us note that the head of our region and the FIFA Secretary General quickly became friends and almost immediately became friends.
On one of the observation decks, Fatma Samura was breathtaking from the beauty of the panorama of ancient Vladimir that opened up to her, and for a long, long time she looked dreamily into the distance.
The football guest was greeted by creative groups from the Vladimir region on the paths of the Patriarchal Garden. A particularly spectacular spectacle unfolded at the entrance to the brand new conference hall, built last year. The majorettes marched, the brass band shook the air with a football march, and every now and then young acrobats flew into the air, thrown into the air by the Vladimir strongmen.
In the lobby of the conference room, Samura was met by the rector of the main university of the 33rd region - VlSU - Anzor Saralidze. In a humorous manner, he introduced the FIFA Secretary General to... the winners of the African Cup. Fatma raised her eyebrows in surprise and only with the help of an interpreter realized that Anzor Mikhailovich was joking. It’s just that every year VlSU holds its own “African Cup” among foreign students.
Immediately, the FIFA Secretary General met her namesake - 3rd year student of VlGU Fatma from Senegal. The compatriots exchanged a few phrases in their native French.
The FIFA Secretary General was also impressed by the exhibition of football-themed goods from Vladimir manufacturers. Samura especially liked the gastronomic delights of Vladimir restaurateurs, as well as the football cakes made by culinary specialists from the Sobinsky district.
Finally, it came to official speeches. Governor Svetlana Orlova told the guest in detail about the fan zones that will be opened en masse in the most beautiful places in the city of Vladimir, as well as about the large cultural and educational program that the cultural capital of the World Cup has prepared for tourists.
- Not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in the regions of Russia there is something to show,- said Svetlana Orlova. - The World Cup has already become a unique occasion, stimulating the emergence of many innovations in all spheres of life in our country - from infrastructure to cultural projects. We are experiencing a big boom in Russia. The newest sports football stadiums, new roads, hotels, cities are being transformed. And we are very grateful to you that FIFA chose Russia to host the next World Cup. Any big world event forces you to come up with creative ideas. Here's ours creative idea– we have become the cultural capital of the World Cup. I want to tell you, Mrs. Samura, that hosting the World Cup will increase GRP, because many enterprises have responded to the football theme.
In her response, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samura said that she spent only two hours in Vladimir, but already feels like a member of the “big Vladimir family.” The guest, touched by the reception, said that she would speak not from a piece of paper, but from the heart:
- Perhaps I will be politically incorrect now, but the fact that we gave the choice in favor of Russia when choosing a country for the World Cup was the right decision!
At these words, the conference hall was drowned in applause, and Governor Orlova just shook her head in admiration: “Well, Fatma! WELL DONE!"
The FIFA Secretary General called our country “the most hospitable in the world” and, for the sake of credibility, said that she no longer has enough space in her office from the gifts she was showered with in Russia. By the way, Fatma Samura very much regrets that Vladimir was not included in the list of 11 cities hosting World Cup matches:
- If in your current role you came up with more than 50 cultural events, then what would happen if you hosted the World Cup? There would probably be more than 3 thousand of them! Thanks to the Vladimir region for the work that was done. Football is not only about scoring goals, but also about developing a business. And I hope that this event will allow you to breathe new strength to your business.
Saying goodbye to the people of Vladimir, Fatma Samura promised to come to us again:
- I've only been here for a few hours, but I think I would love to spend the whole weekend here.
For the first time in history, the post of Secretary General of the International Football Federation (FIFA) was taken by a woman - Fatma Samoura from Senegal, who previously worked in various positions at the UN. This decision was made at the FIFA Congress taking place in Mexico.
At the FIFA Congress, held in Mexico City, a historical decision was made, one might say. For the first time, it was decided to entrust the second most important post in the head football structure of the planet to a woman - the representative of Senegal, Fatma Samoura. It is noteworthy that Ms. Samura had no previous connection with football. Over the past 20 years, she has worked in various UN structures, and this moment is one of the leaders of the UN development program in Nigeria.
It should be noted that FIFA President Gianni Infantino, from whom the initiative to appoint Ms. Samura came, said that he does not see a problem in the fact that the new secretary general does not have experience in football. “Her arrival will be a breath of fresh air for FIFA,” said the FIFA president. “Our organization needed someone from the outside, someone who symbolizes the future, not the past.”
Let us recall that Ms. Samura’s predecessor as FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke was suspended from work in the middle of last year after it became known that he was involved in fraud in the sale of rights to television broadcasts of the World Cup (they were transferred to trusted persons for symbolic sums and then resold for a real price), as well as the implementation of dubious schemes in the sale of tickets to world championship games.
Late last year, Mr Valcke was fired from his post and later disqualified for 12 years. Let us add that his immediate boss, Sepp Blatter, was also forced to leave FIFA. Former President FIFA was suspended for four years.
Arnold Kabanov
How Gianni Infantino became the new FIFA president
The Secretary General was elected as the new President of the International Football Federation (FIFA) on February 26 European Union football associations (UEFA) Gianni Infantino. The Swiss beat Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, who was considered the favorite, in the elections. The mandate of the new FIFA President will last until 2019. Russian Minister of Sports, President of the RFU Vitaly Mutko said that he was satisfied with the results of the vote, “we initially supported it.”
FIFA names Sepp Blatter's salary
The International Football Federation (FIFA) suffered a loss in mid-March for the first time since 2002 - $122 million. This is stated in the report on financial activities the head structure of world football. FIFA also revealed for the first time data regarding the salaries of the federation's leadership. Thus, Sepp Blatter, who left the presidential post in the wake of a corruption scandal, received $3.76 million in 2015. And FIFA spent almost $28 million on the maintenance of the executive committee.
Today, the oldest mosque in Kazan “Marjani” was visited by Senegalese Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of the International Football Federation (FIFA). The guest was accompanied by the head of the Confederation of African Football, Ahmad al Ahmad.
A tour of the mosque for the FIFA delegation was conducted by the Deputy Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan, Imam-Khatyb of the mosque Mansur Hazrat Dzhalaletdinov. He talked about rich history religious building and about current spiritual and educational projects within the walls of the mosque.
Samura also visited the Muslim children's center at the Mardzhani mosque "Balalar" in the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda and the Mardzhania fitness center for women. She left it as a gift children's center branded soccer balls with FIFA symbols.
“Yesterday my family, husband, daughter were here, they really liked the Marjani mosque. They liked the visit to the mosque even more than the match between the national teams of Portugal and Chile,” she explained during the visit.
After the excursion, the conversation continued over a cup of tea, where the parties discussed the history of Islam among the Tatars, the traditions of Tatar tea drinking, and the latest match between the national teams of Portugal and Chile.
Mansur Hazrat thanked the representative delegation for the visit and presented Fatma Samura with small gifts - a silver bracelet and earrings, as well as a Tatar kalfak and a scarf. Samura, in turn, left a soccer ball with her autograph as a souvenir.
After the completion of the official part of the meeting, Fatme Samura, together with the parishioners of the Marjani mosque, performed the midday prayer. It is noteworthy that this is already her second visit to the Marjani mosque.
FIFA Secretary General at the iftar in St. Petersburg told BUSINESS Online about his love for Kazan and why no one will take the 2018 World Cup away from Russia
Kazan Tatars organized a Muslim breaking of fast for the first lady of football Fatma Samura. The event for her and other FIFA top managers was held on June 24 in St. Petersburg by the delegation of the APM of the Russian Federation from Kazan. About why Mutko strongly advised the FIFA Secretary General to go to Tatarstan, how she evaluates the Kazan Arena and what admiration the scarf presented as a gift by the President of Tatarstan aroused in Zurich - in an exclusive report from BUSINESS Online.
Fatma Samura: “When I went to Russia, I could not imagine that I would spend the last evening of this holy month in such wonderful company”
“WHEN I WENT TO RUSSIA, I UNDERSTANDED THAT THE END OF RAMADAN WOULD HAPPEN WITH MY STAY IN MOSCOW OR ST. PETERSBURG”
Iftar for leadership international association FIFA football tournament was held last Saturday in St. Petersburg by Muslim entrepreneurs from Tatarstan. If this news had appeared on news agencies a little over a year ago, it would probably have been considered science fiction and an outright fake. However, after personnel changes took place at the top of the football association in May last year, the fairy tale became reality. Native of Senegal Fatma Samura(Fatma Samoura) was appointed to the post of FIFA Secretary General in the spring of 2016, replacing the German Markus Kuttner in this chair, which, in turn, was inherited by the Frenchman Jerome Valcke Thus, for the first time in history, the commercial and technological affairs of world football began to be managed by a woman who was also of African and Muslim origin. About a month after her appointment, Mrs. Samura came to Moscow to assess the level of our country’s preparations for the 2018 World Cup, and in November she paid a visit to Kazan, where she visited a mosque and even appeared in public in the national Tatar dress. Now it has become clear that the friendly ties established then were not in vain: at least, Samura chose to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan with the delegation of the Association of Muslim Entrepreneurs (AMB) of the Russian Federation, whose headquarters, as you know, are located both in Kazan and Moscow
“Of course, when I went to Russia, I understood that the end of Ramadan would occur during my stay in Moscow or St. Petersburg, but I could not imagine that I would spend the last evening of this holy month in such wonderful company and in such a warm society,” admitted FIFA Secretary General in conversation with a BUSINESS Online correspondent. “This is a great honor for me and my friends from different parts of the world. I hope that Allah will accept both our fast and our prayers.”
The society that gathered late in the evening of June 24 at the St. Petersburg restaurant of Uzbek cuisine “Navruz”, located on Leninsky Prospekt, was quite intimate. In addition to Ms. Samoura herself, the President of the Djibouti Football Federation arrived here from the FIFA administration Suleiman Vaberi, Chief of the FIFA Press Service Fabrice Jouhad, head of the association's executive committee Urs Clouser, executive committee coordinator Katarina Ferreira, head of the UN World Food Program in RE (The UN World Food Programme) Abdu Dieng and President of the Confederation of African Football Ahmad al Ahmad. However, at least one guest, namely Mr. Amadou Samura(Amadou Samoura), had no official status and was listed on the list of invitees as simply a husband, that is, the husband of the FIFA Secretary General.
The cortege with guests arrived on Leninsky Prospekt at about 22:00, the police cordoned off the entrance to the restaurant for a couple of minutes, and idle onlookers who were walking around the residential area at that hour were surprised to see black Senegalese, slightly watered down by European football officials. It seems that no one even thought that this is the top of FIFA today (unless, of course, we forget for a moment about the Swiss and the president of the association Gianni Infantino).
The restaurant also lived an ordinary life: there was the sound of the clinking of dishes, harmoniously intertwined with the melody of the occasional sound of oriental music, people were arguing and laughing about something, but these sounds did not penetrate to the second floor, where the room for the “football” iftar was booked. A large table had already been set here, and the waiters were just finishing serving it when the news spread that the FIFA delegation had arrived. Representatives of the Association of Muslim Entrepreneurs, namely its president Aidar Shagimardanov, Executive Director Marcel Sabirov and representative of APM in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region Abdulbyar Alimov rushed down. Among those meeting were also the permanent representative of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Northern capital Renat Valiullin and owner of the Navruz restaurant Mikhail Ayupov. The BUSINESS Online correspondent, along with everyone else, came out to meet the top managers of world football.
Some football officials had rough, overworked palms, which was especially noticeable when shaking hands. At the same time, no touch of stardom was felt - on the contrary, an “evening”, slightly relaxed mood prevailed, multiplied by the proximity of Eid al-Fitr (the holiday of Eid al-Fitr) and the long St. Petersburg sunset, smoldering behind rags of clouds and gray high-rise buildings. The table beckoned with an abundance of dishes, but it was not yet possible to touch them: prayers had not yet been read and official greetings had not yet been said. Therefore, while the waiters silently glided around the hall, vigilant FSO employees also silently monitored security, everyone exchanged business cards and smiles, and the oriental ornament, gliding along the ceiling like a whimsical snake, sang its silent song about distant exotic countries and ancient Tashkent.
“THE QUESTION ABOUT THE VENUE OF THE 2018 World Cup IS NOT DISCUSSED. WE CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING FROM RUSSIA"
Before becoming the first lady of football (or, as wits would joke, the main “FIFA” of FIFA), Mrs. Samura throughout for long years worked in UN structures, in particular as a permanent representative of the United Nations Development Program in Nigeria. Her unexpected appointment to FIFA was only initially perceived by some as a career zigzag. The new Secretary General, due to his bright and somewhat unusual football world charisma quickly gained popularity, and at the same time showed herself to be the curator of several innovative trends, among which women's football was the perfect match for her gambling temperament and pretty face. Now women's football has already grown to its own section on the association’s website and before the international games, which are to be held in France in 2019.
Ms. Samura developed relations with Russia immediately, especially after her first visits to our country. Maybe Moscow’s old friendship with the African continent, dating back to the times of the USSR, had an effect, or maybe the personal impressions the FIFA Secretary General took from her trips to the Russian Federation were so positive that it couldn’t have been any other way, At least when In the West, after the doping scandals and the unfolding “witch hunt,” grumpy voices began to be heard proposing to completely deprive Russia of the right to host the 2018 World Cup, Samura took our side.
“For me, the question of the location of the 2018 World Cup is an issue that is not discussed,” the FIFA Secretary General assured the journalist of our publication. “We cannot take anything from Russia. And we don't want to mix politics into sports. From what we saw in Russia within the framework of the ongoing Confederations Cup, we are confident that the championship will be held in the Russian Federation at the highest level».
Representative of the Republic of Tatarstan Valiullin asked in this context how Ms. Samura finds the state of the Zenit Arena, the notorious long-term construction site in St. Petersburg, where the Confederations Cup recently started.
“The stadium is truly the largest - it is new, thoughtful and, perhaps, the best in terms of infrastructure,” the first lady of football nodded favorably. — Yes, there were some shortcomings, but now, for example, the New Zealand team, having played at this stadium, was very impressed. But Kazan Arena is very nice!” — at this point in her speech, Ms. Samura raised her thumb up with a smile, assessing the level of the Tatarstan sports facility.
“In previous years, we usually held iftar at the Kazan Arena,” noted Shagimardanov. — We gathered from 10 to 15 thousand people. So we are not so easily handing over this beautiful stadium to FIFA. This is a place of prayer. We can say with complete confidence that tens of thousands of Muslims prayed in this arena every year.”
At iftar, Samura periodically wore a very picturesque headscarf, given to her by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov during her November trip to the republic
“I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE BROTHERHOOD THAT EXISTS BETWEEN DIFFERENT PEOPLES AND RELIGIONS IN TATARSTAN”
Kazan holds a special place in the heart of the FIFA Secretary General. Suffice it to mention that at iftar Samura periodically dressed in a very picturesque headscarf, presented to her, as it turned out, by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov during her November trip to the republic.
“I wear the scarf given by Minnikhanov quite often,” she admitted. — If you follow my Twitter, you will notice that every visit to Kazan is accompanied by wearing this scarf. In Zurich in my office ( the association's headquarters is located here— approx. ed.) I have worn it twice already, and everyone really liked it, everyone noted that it was a very beautiful scarf. And, of course, all FIFA members were very impressed when they came to Kazan and saw me in this attire. I had a skirt, a cape and this scarf.”
For the first time, the former Minister of Sports told Ms. Samura about Kazan, the uniqueness of its culture and inhabitants. Vitaly Mutko(now he heads the organizing committee of the 2018 FIFA World Cup). “When I was in Moscow for the first time, and this happened in the summer of 2016, the President of the Russian Football Union Vitaly Mutko told me that he wanted to take me to Kazan,” FIFA Secretary General shared her memories. — Not only for the sake of sports facilities, but also so that I could see with my own eyes tolerance and peaceful coexistence of different religions. And everything he told me turned out to be true. I was impressed by the brotherhood that exists between different peoples and religions in Tatarstan. There may be a mosque nearby, Orthodox Church and the synagogue, and this is probably what we all need to pray for. I will always remember this and will use it as an example at home.”
By the way, the next visit of the First Lady of Football to Kazan will take place the day after tomorrow, June 28. But, apparently, it will be extremely short-term and is unlikely to take more than one day.
It was not without reason that the brotherhood of peoples and religions, as well as the Muslim shrines of Kazan, struck the native of Sunni Senegal, who has now become one of the main football top managers. “Both my husband and I come from large religious families,” Ms. Samura told a BUSINESS Online correspondent. — These are several generations of Muslims on both the father’s and mother’s sides. For example, my grandmother comes from the city of Tuba ( the second largest metropolis in Senegal, founded in 1887 by the founder of the Sufi order of Muridiya, SheikhAmadou Bamba —approx. ed.). This is a very religious city, a lot was said about it at our meeting today.”
As for Islam, Samura appreciates its role in his life very highly. “It’s empowering to know that there is a higher power that gives you the ability to continue to fight, to stand up for your core values,” she explained. “It’s also empowering to share your wealth with others and to be able to lend a helping hand to people who aren’t as wealthy as you.” In addition, Islam allows me to relate more easily to many problems and not take them so close to my heart, because I pass them through the top, through heaven - through religion. Because if you know that the Lord is with you, you know that anything is possible.”
“BEFORE A GAME, MANY MUSLIM COACHES GO TO THE MOSQUE AND ASK TO READ PRAYERS SO THAT THEIR TEAM WIN”
It is absolutely no coincidence that it was the Association of Muslim Entrepreneurs of the Russian Federation, which grew out of Kazan, that organized an iftar for FIFA top managers. “APM RF is a multi-vector organization that, in addition to developing the business of our members, pays great attention to charitable activities and cooperation with public organizations Russia and the world,” Shagimardanov told BUSINESS Online. — The tradition of holding charitable iftars is widespread among all Muslim peoples of the world. “I am very glad that the leadership of Russia and the RFU supported our initiative to hold iftar for members of the leadership - FIFA Muslims.”
However, the table conversation at the Navruz restaurant was not only social, but also business. For example, the APM delegation managed to present its new development to the FIFA leadership - the Muslim Ocean discount and bonus system. As Shagimardanov clarifies, this program should make life easier for Muslim fans who will participate in all events held under the auspices of the football association.
Samura herself outlined ways for such possible cooperation in the conversation. According to her, those Muslims who came to the Russian Federation for the current Confederations Cup often found prayer rugs in their hotel rooms. “Even the direction of Mecca was indicated,” noted the football secretary general. In 2018, Russia, as we know, will expect an even greater influx of guests, including from Islamic countries. That is why the Muslim Ocean program, designed to become a navigator in the search for Russian halal hotels and halal food, can become extremely popular.
“Now, even among the coaches, many are Muslims,” noted the companions of the FIFA Secretary General. “Before the game, they usually go to the mosque, give alms and ask them to say prayers so that their team wins.”
As for the gifts, among them I remember the branded soccer balls of the Confederations Cup and the Tatar skullcap, given to Samura by the APM delegation
By the way, in Russia, teams from Islamic countries enjoy support at the Cup, and not only among the 20 million Muslims who, according to statistics, live in our country. “I was recently traveling on the St. Petersburg metro to the Cameroon-Australia match,” Valiullin told an interesting story. — It seems like the entire subway car was filled with Cameroon fans. And when a Russian fan came in and saw who was heading to the match, he announced loudly: “Russia is for Cameroon!” The most interesting thing is that he turned out to be right: at the stadium, the majority of Russian fans were rooting for the Cameroonian team.”
Samura clearly liked the story about Cameroon: it was not for nothing that back in the spring of this year she assured a CNN correspondent that in Russia they take the fight against racism very seriously, and at the everyday level this phenomenon is not at all as widespread as it is commonly thought in the West. Rather, it prevails until the end and has not evaporated from former USSR internationalism, in the context of which the love of Soviet citizens for “brotherly” Africa was not at all the least important.
Towards the end of the iftar, gifts were presented and pleasantries were exchanged, which in the established cordial atmosphere did not at all look routine. “I want to express my deep gratitude to the APM of the Russian Federation and personally to its president Aidar Shagimardanov for the invitation here to break the fast together and end the fast,” said the FIFA Secretary General. “And, of course, thank you very much for the opportunity to convey my congratulations to the entire Muslim community of Russia.”
As for the gifts, the most memorable of them were branded soccer balls of the Confederations Cup and a Tatar skullcap, given to Samura by the APM delegation. She immediately put on the skullcap. Amid farewell magnesium camera flashes, the FIFA Secretary General was asked to post a personal photo on Twitter next time wearing a Tatar headdress. The First Lady of Football graciously promised to do so.
