Datu Abu Bakar Marzuk
KUCHING: Organisers promise that this year’s Sarawak Cup football tournament will be special with the inclusion of state youth players.
The inter-divison tournament, organised by the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS), is making a comeback after a two-year absence.
“As organisers, we are hoping that fans from all the divisions in Sarawak will be attracted to follow the tournament as top football players will show up in the tournament, representing their respective divisions,” tournament director Datu Abu Bakar Marzuki said.
Abu Bakar, who is also FAS deputy president, pointed out that Sarawak-born footballers currently in the President Cup and Sukma squads are permitted to participate this year.
But these state players must represent the division where they originate.
Eleven divisional teams plus three teams from FAS-affiliated football associations will compete in this year’s edition to be jointly hosted by Kuching and Samarahan.
They are Armed Forces, Betong, Bintulu, Kapit, Kuching, Limbang, Miri, Mukah, Police, Samarahan, Sarikei, Sibu, Sri Aman and the Sukma 2016 squad.
The draw for the tournament will be on Aug 14 at the Yayasan Sarawak Headquarters.
Teams pitted in Groups A and B will play in Kuching while those in C and D will play in Samarahan.
Kuching were winners of the 2012 Sarawak Cup when the tournament was hosted by Miri.
Fans can visit the tournament’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/updatespialasarawak2014 for further details.