The Oceania Football Confederation is mourning the passing of long-time staff member Emmie Sope after a long illness.
Sope was the technical co-ordinator for the OFC Just Play Programme, that promotes physical activity and healthy living among primary schoolchildren.
Just Play Technical Coordinator Emmie Sope in 2014. Photo: OFC Football
The OFC Acting President Lambert Maltock said Sope will leave a large hole in the football landscape following years of tireless work in football development and with the Just Play Programme.
"Emmie has always been incredibly passionate not just about progressing football, but in helping develop the people on the ground in our communities across the Pacific," he said.
"There are very few people involved in Oceania football who have not worked with Emmie, or who aren't aware of the tireless work she has done across the region advocating for women and children and pushing to see football become the number one sport.
"Her reward was seeing smiling children enjoying football, ours is having known and worked alongside such a compassionate, warm and loving friend."
Emmie Sope died at the weekend and OFC said her passion for football development, for gender equality, for the rights of women and children and the development of the communities she visited was unrivalled.
