12 August 2016

To have Welsh language commentary on S4C for Wales' matches at Euro 2016 was of "utmost importance" says a Football Association of Wales senior officer.

With a new Welsh Premier League season about to kick off, with the first live match on S4C on Saturday 13 August, Ian Gwyn Hughes, FAW Head of Public Affairs, praised the football service on S4C at all levels of the game, but especially during this summer's Euro 2016 competition.

"I think to have the Welsh language commentary on S4C was of utmost importance," says Ian Gwyn Hughes, a key member of the FAW communications staff who supported the Wales squad during their successful Euro 2016 campaign in France.

"The quality of the presentation and the production are extraordinarily high," says Ian Gwyn Hughes about the Euro 2016 coverage which was produced for S4C by BBC Wales.

"You feel the enthusiasm but you also get unbiased analysis too. You get the quality of the commentary by Nic Parry and presenting by someone like Dylan Ebenezer, and of course analysis by former players such as Malcolm Allen and Owain Tudur Jones."

See a video of Ian Gwyn Hughes making his comments here.

To be able to show Wales' matches in Euro 2016 was of utmost importance for S4C too, and the channel believed that an event of such significance in Welsh sporting history should be available for fans in both the nation's languages.

S4C's commitment to Welsh sport stretches from the international stage to the grassroots. Next Saturday, 13 August, sees the start of the new season of live Dafabet Welsh Premier League matches on S4C, with Sgorio's programmes and online services giving unmatched coverage of the League.

This service is 'unrivalled in quality' says Ian Gwyn Hughes about Sgorio, which is produced by Rondo Media for S4C.

"You get the same standard on all levels – the under 21s, the women's games, and of course the Welsh Premier League so you've got the perfect football package with unrivalled production, commentary and presenting teams."

At the National Eisteddfod on Thursday 4 August, S4C held an event to celebrate the Euro 2016 success with Ian Gwyn Hughes and the Wales assistant coach Osian Roberts, hosted by S4C football presenter Dylan Ebenezer.

This was a chance to thank the team for "stirring pride, enjoyment, and tears... for all the right reasons, among the Welsh football fans," says S4C Chief Executive, Ian Jones.

"I'm proud that S4C has been able to hold this event to mark one of the most exciting periods that has ever been in S4C’s history, since the channel was established in 1982, as we followed the team and supporters on their remarkable journey in France," says Ian Jones.

"I'm confident that the legacy they have left through their contribution to the game, the nation and to Wales will be felt for many years to come."

Ends