Football: Airtel Cup-R200,000 contribution from Airtel |16 February 2008

The cheque presentation ceremony took place yesterday morning at the Maison Football, Roche Caïman.
Airtel corporate affairs manager Lalita Mayadas who was standing in for chief executive officer (CEO) Vinod Sud who is out of the country, presented the cheque to SFF chairman Suketu Patel.

Mrs Mayadas pointed out that Airtel, whose contribution doubled from 100,000 to 200,000 last year, is willing to help the SFF in its endeavour to propagate football amongst the youths of Seychelles.

She also had words of praise for referee Eddie Maillet who officiated at the recent African Cup of Nations in Accra, Ghana.
For his part, SFF boss Patel thanked “Airtel who has become a faithful partner of Seychelles football by sponsoring the Airtel CUP.”

Mr Patel added that a lot of people only concentrate on the game of football itself and forget about its social importance of bringing the youths together.

Other representatives of Airtel present at the ceremony were senior marketing executive Priya Patel and Human Resources manager Maxime Morel. Other than Mr Patel, the SFF was represented by its treasurer Justin Mathiot and some ordinary members.
Reserved for first division sides, the eight teams participating in the Airtel Cup have been drawn in two pools – A and B.

Pool A comprises defending champions Anse Réunion, League and Cup double winners St Michel, SMB and St Louis Suns United.
Foresters, Light Stars, La Passe and last year’s Barclays League Division Two winners Plaisance make up pool B.

It is to note that Pool A could be termed the group of death as it contains the top four finishers in last year’s Barclays League Division One standing.

The competition will be played over two rounds on a home and away basis with the top two teams in each pool qualifying for the cross-knockout semifinals.

Half of the R200,000 sponsorship – R100,000 – will be shared among the participating teams.