The Haitian Football Federation (FHF), with the support of the FIFA Program "Forward Development" has decided to tackle the survival of recently built artificial lawns built recently across the country left unattended and almost abandoned.

These lawns used by the Resident Clubs, may soon become unusable and especially become dangerous to the health of the players, because they were put into service without the special equipment to be used for their maintenance...

Seven lawns will benefit from this program (St Louis du Nord, Cap Haitien, Gonaïves, Mirebalais, Léogâne, Marchand Dessalines and Port-de-Paix). Following the delivery of some essential equipment, the FHF through its technicians (the engineer Jean Yves Bernard and technicians Serge Junior Baptiste and Emmanuel Exil), trained in Barbados and Suriname during FIFA seminars, will organize a training seminar at future technicians to ensure the daily maintenance of these surfaces.

Note that engineer Bernard has participated in FIFA seminars for the last four years, while the other two technicians have received EDELGRASS training at the artificial lawn installations of the Sylvio Cator stadium and the FIFA Goal Center.

At the end of the training that will take place at the Croix-des-Bouquets FIFA Goal Center, the representatives of the Clubs will take delivery of the appropriate equipment to maintain the lawns. Each representative will receive a tractor, two mechanical brushes, two rubber binder bags to brush the ground and replace the pellets that give flexibility to the playing surface and protects the bodies of football players.

In addition, other accessories such as boots, nose covers and helmets will be offered to the various operators. Through this program, they will now know that without maintenance the artificial turf can become dangerous for the health of the players but also that many precautions must be put like the prohibition to penetrate there to dogs, to certain types of shoes, or to to throw chewing gum among others.

This project has yet to be submitted to FIFA for approval by its Development Committee. Once the project has been approved under the supervision of the FIFA Regional Offices, a final report will have to be presented and the FIFA envoys will come to the venue for the final evaluation.

Remember that it is also a "Forward Development" program that will include the installation of a new lawn at the Sylvio Cator Stadium and the development of a modern clinic at the FIFA Goal Center to take care of injured players.

HL/ BF/ HaitiLibre