Sports diplomacy in Surabaya

Australian Consul-General Surabaya Chris Barnes gives sports the diplomacy the thumbs-up.

2019 marks the 91st anniversary of the Australian national soccer team's first ever Asian tour. During the 1928 tour. Australia played eight matches in Surabaya, and the first ever Australia vs Surabaya game resulted in a 3-3 draw.

90 years later, sporting ties between Australia and Surabaya remain strong with the Persebaya Youth Team touring Perth and playing three friendly matches. They also received expert coaching and sports science instruction organised by Football West. In 2019, the Western Australian U19 Youth Team toured Surabaya and played three friendly matches hosted by Persebaya. Persebaya expressed their thanks to Australia and Persebaya U20’s visit to Perth last year for elite training and friendly matches, which helped them to prepare for the victory!

The Australian Consulate-General Surabaya hosted a visit by elite Australian athletes and coaches in 2017. Kristen Veal, a former WNBA and WNBL basketballer and now Head Coach of Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence women’s program, ran a basketball clinic with Professor Nick Ball, Head of Sport and Exercise Science. Holly Houston, a former midfield player from Canberra United Football Club’s W-League team and Dr Jocelyn Mara, Lecturer in Sports Analytics at the University of Canberra, ran a soccer clinic for girls.