PHNOM PENH: Sao Sokha will remain President of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s request.

After a 2-0 defeat against Myanmar on May 7, Sokha followed through on his promise to resign his position if the Cambodian national team did not make it to the SEA Games semi-finals. The following day, the Prime Minister released a voice message in which he expressed his regret at Sokha’s decision, noting that since he took over as FFC president, the Cambodian football program has grown steadily. Although the results of the football matches were not as good as he had hoped, the PM emphasized that the football program has achieved unprecedented success.

"There are many countries where football cannot achieve good results. Some countries have a population of billions, hundreds of millions, yet their football program is substandard. We have only 16 or 17 million people; we can only do so much. It is good for the Cambodian people to see [our football team] rise from the bottom, win some games and achieve more than ever.”

He subsequently appealed to General Sao Sokha to maintain his position as President of the FFC, stating, “General Sao Sokha, who has been with me for 46 years, will hopefully accept my request to continue by my side, as in the past.”

That evening, Sokha replied with a letter agreeing to continue to lead the FFC due to an outpouring of support from the Prime Minister, private and public institutions, and football fans. He said, "I respect Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is highly esteemed, most loyal and respectful, [in addition to] Cambodian football fans, corporate sponsors, the media and international friends, who have voiced their support and called for me to continue to lead the Cambodian football program alongside its sponsors and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports."

He then called on clubs, associations, officials, staff, coaches, referees, players and members of the FFC to continue to grow and progress towards an international football presence which will bring health, friendship and national honor to Cambodia in the future.

^{PHOTO: សហព័ន្ធកីឡាបាល់ទាត់កម្ពុជា}