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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS have distributed their share of the Fifa Covid-19 relief fund to their players, coaches and support staff.
Fifa gave US$1.5 million to Zifa to assist alleviate the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to the association’s affiliates.
Each Fifa member association was given US$1.5 million following a plan originally drawn up by the Fifa administration in close cooperation with confederations.
Caf gave Zifa US$300 000, meaning the national association received a total amount of US$1.8 million in Covid-19 relief funds.
All Fifa member associations were expected to use the funds for activities such as restart of competitions, implementation of return to play protocols, participation of national teams in competitions, hiring and rehiring of staff, maintenance of football infrastructure and general administration and operating costs.
Unlike most Premier Soccer League teams, Highlanders have three representative sides that were all eligible to receive the relief funds; the first team that plays in the PSL, Bosso 90 in the Zifa Southern Region
Division One league and ladies team Highlanders Royals, who play in the Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League Division One (Southern Region).
The first team received US$5 000 which, according to the Highlanders spokesperson Ronald Moyo, was all distributed in hard currency to the players, technical and support staff. Bosso 90 are believed to have received $60 000 while the ladies team got $29 000 from the fund.
“We can confirm that we have received the Fifa Covid-19 relief funds from Zifa. The funds have been disbursed to the intended beneficiaries, that is the players, coaches (including junior coaches and managers) and support staff. The funds were in three batches, for the first team which was received and disbursed in US dollars to the stated beneficiaries,” said Moyo.
Highlanders Royals and Bosso 90 received the fund in local currency just as it was received from Zifa.
Bosso becomes the first local club to publicly declare how it has distributed its allocation of the Covid-19 relief fund and they now have to submit documentary evidence and paper trail to show how the money was used to Zifa.
Online Reporter