John Kapi Natto

Justin Tkatchenko said PNGFA president David Chung and John Kapi Natto both have a heart for soccer but unfortunately, they cannot work together and are making the sport fail, affecting players and clubs.

Tkatchenko said the best solution is for FIFA to intervene and say enough is enough.

“FIFA must be concerned with what’s happening in PNG as we are now having two different, separate identities running football,” said the Minister.

“How can sponsors come on board and how can the sport keep moving forward when you got two different groups running the same thing.

In a press conference yesterday in Port Moresby, 11 out of the 12 associations (Hekari, Mendi, Wabag, Lae, Manus, Bougainville, Koupa, Madang, Goroka, NCD Public Servants Soccer and Tabubil) vouched their support for Chairman of Hekari, John Kapi Natto to start the competition as soon as possible.

Only representatives from the Lahi soccer association were not present.

7 of the 12 soccer associations recently suspended by the PNG Football Association  include Hekari, Mendi, Wabag, Lae, Manus, Bougainville and Koupa.

This was announced today by Chairman of Hekari, John Kapi Natto.

“Today, Hekari has officially resigned from the NSL,” said Kapi Natto.

Hekari Soccer Association was one of seven associations that were recently suspended by the PNG Football Association.

This was questioned by Kapi Natto who made the decision to withdraw Hekari- the nine-time winners of the NSL title from the semi-professional competition.

He added that Hekari will not take part in the  Oceania Football Confederation Champions League in 2017 in New Caledonia.

The man behind the country’s glamour and successful semi-professional soccer club, Hekari United wants politics not to destroy the code’s image, with the successful hosting of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.  

“I knew the suspension was coming and I am not surprised. But the grounds that got me and the two other associations still need to be clarified. There were no reasons given on why PNGFA has suspended us and I am confused right now when I was told I got suspended,” Kapi Natto said.

He was officially invited by the Bougainville Football Federation president Justine Helele and the members of his association.

It will be also an opportunity for John Kapi Natto, as a candidate contesting the PNGFA president’s position, to brief the executives and partners in the region about his football plans before the PNGFA general meeting in Kimbe on August 7^th, 2016.