Voorwaarts wins President’s Cup thanks to Dechamar Hunte goal

The traditional season opener of the Surinaamse Voetbal Bond (SVB) pitted the national champions against the cup winners. President Simons performed the ceremonial kickoff beforehand, after walking to the centre spot accompanied by SVB chairman Dayasankar Mathoera.

After a goalless first half, Hunte decided the match. He scored in the 71st minute from a scramble in front of Broki’s goal. In addition to the cup, Voorwaarts received a cheque for 15,000 US dollars. Broki received a cheque for 10,000 US dollars.

Players and officials of both clubs, as well as the refereeing quartet, were awarded medals by President Simons, Minister Lalinie Gopal of Youth Development and Sport, and SVB chairman Mathoera.

Attention to local talent

Simons expressed her appreciation afterwards for the efforts of both teams. “I enjoyed it. Those boys put in the effort, but of course one has to win,” the head of state said.

The president also emphasised the importance of developing local sporting talent. According to her, programmes are being developed that should offer Surinamese boys and girls more opportunities to develop.

Simons calls for attention to racism in football

The head of state also addressed Natio’s performance and the reported racist incidents during the most recent match against Guatemala. She regretted the events and called for a stricter approach by international football governing body FIFA.

According to Simons, such incidents can disrupt players’ concentration. She pointed to the fact that Suriname had to continue the match with one player fewer because of the events, stating that this may have contributed to the defeat.

The president described raising the issue with FIFA as a possible next step. She also believes that players should be better supported to become more resilient against racist remarks.