Chronicle EditorSikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA competitions and communications manager Xolisani Gwesela has defended the Fifa Club Licensing system, which the national association is expected to start implementing from the 2018 season.
Some quarters have expressed fears that the Fifa system might not be good in poor economies and was a possible recipe for disaster and also tended to protect some football administrators that are already in the system.
Gwesela, however, said the system is not a monster, but is merely aimed at inculcating a spirit of professionalism in clubs, which will in turn help improve the local game.
Gwesela and Zifa executive member Piraishe Mabhena, who is also the chairman of the First Instance Body in club licensing, recently attended a Professional Football Conference organised by Fifa and Caf in Cairo, Egypt.
“Club licensing is not a monster as some people want to portray and neither is it about the economy, but it’s about adhering to best modern professional football standards. Our clubs have the capacity of meeting the club licensing requirements,” said Gwesela.
He said the five-year football administration experience was also a requirement under the Fifa Club Licensing.
Club licensing has three categories A, B and C.
Catergory A, which is prerequisite, deals with a minimum standard that each club should meet and if those requirements are not met, the club will not be granted a licence.
In Catergory B, a club can be licensed, but sanctions will be imposed for not meeting requirements and Catergory C requirements are best practices expected.
According to a club licensing template for Premier Soccer League clubs gleaned by Chronicle Sport, under Category A on the sporting front, a club must have an approved youth development plan, youth teams participating in a formal league organised by Zifa and they must also practise fair play.
On the infrastructure front, a club must have certification of stadium, stadium control centre, a stadium with a minimum seating capacity of 5 000, classification of spectator areas, first aid and doping room, field of play specifications, stadium sanitary facilities, facilities for spectators with special needs and a lease agreement that guarantees use of stadium facilities.
In the administrative and personnel area under Catergory A, a club must have a secretariat, which includes a general manager, finance officer, media and communications officer, security officer, medical doctor and physiotherapist. The club must also have a head coach of the first team, youth development head coach, qualified youth development coaches as well as safety and security stewards. The club must declare to abide by the club licensing regulations, have a constitution, minutes of meeting resulting in club structural change, club owner (structure and control), organogram.
Under finance, a season’s budget, sponsorship of current budget, payables overdue towards football clubs arising from transfer activities, as well as payables overdue to employees and tax authorities. In Category B on the sporting requirement, clubs must provide medical care for players, value young players’ training and contribute to their education and financial resources.
On infrastructure, a club must have stadium ground rules, signage and directions, media and broadcasting facilities, training facilities availability and demarcated bays for visiting teams.
On the administrative and personnel section in Category B, roles and responsibilities of personnel must be clear, with notification of changes in the club structure. On Finance, the club must have audited financial statements, tax clearance and payables towards employees.
Catergory C begins with infrastructure, which covers floodlighting as well as bucket seats. Bank statements are a must under the financial requirements. – @skhumoyo2000
Online Reporter