Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
COVID-19 relief funds have divided Premier Soccer League clubs, with some teams reportedly accepting the US$5 000 that topflight bosses had agreed to take once issues surrounding slashing of the league’s administrative share by half had been resolved.
In a move that left PSL sides shocked, Zifa announced a slash in funding to be availed to the league in a revised schedule of funds being disbursed as part of the US$1,5 million relief package availed by world soccer governing body Fifa.
Zifa slashed the initial US$20 000 it had allocated to the PSL for administration in facilitation of the safe return of football in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PSL wrote to Zifa seeking clarity on the matter, arguing that as the topflight league with over 750 employees, they deserved a larger share of the cake.
Having won the battle for Zifa to deposit the Covid-19 funds in their nostro accounts instead of being paid in local currency, the clubs wanted the national association to address the issue of the second tranche of US$66 000 that was wiped out from the revised schedule.
The clubs also sought clarification on the payment of the US$50 000 Fifa Forward 2.0 allocation which PSL clubs say should be paid to them deemed was to be paid annually.
Some PSL governors yesterday said they were disappointed to learn that some of their colleagues had accepted money from Zifa without resolving outstanding issues.
“What we had agreed is that we will wait for Zifa to respond to matters we raised before submitting our bank account numbers. As clubs we had submitted our account numbers to the PSL, but we were shocked when Zifa called asking us to send our accounts. Some clubs remained steadfast and told them to pick the account numbers from the PSL, but some gave in and have been paid. Now that’s a divide and rule tactic which Zifa used and now how do we get them to address matters we raised?” said one governor.
Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela could not be drawn into revealing names of PSL clubs that have been paid, but confirmed that amounts deposited were according to the schedule.
“Payments have been done as per schedule,” said Gwesela.
Dynamos are said to have been among the first clubs to get the relief fund.
With the PSL’s sponsorship deal with Delta Beverages temporarily on ice due to Covid-19, the league reminded Zifa what the Fifa/Caf relief is meant for.
The global Covid-19 pandemic has led to Fifa and Caf supporting their member associations financially.
According to Fifa documents, the financial support is meant to cover the following:
“The restart of competitions across all categories.
“The implementation of return to play protocols, including testing.
“The payment of staff costs and rehiring of essential staff where necessary.
“The maintenance of footballing infrastructure.
“The payment of general administration and operating costs.”
In a letter to Zifa published by our sister publication Sunday Mail, the PSL also acknowledged that Zifa reserved the right to distribute the funds as it saw fit.
“It is appreciated that the funding will be disbursed at the sole discretion of the Football Association. There is need for an equitable distribution of the said funds. The Premier Soccer League and its clubs ought to be considered as a top League employing over 750 professional employees.”
The PSL said the reduced funding will not be enough to restart football competitions, as it can’t run the office and organise football activities.
The PSL says it has been contributing to football development, including guaranteeing the national association to accommodate its visiting delegates.
It says it has not benefitted from any Fifa or Caf funding, including the Fifa Forward Programmes 2.0 funding.
The PSL said it appreciated that Zifa is the sole custodian of all Fifa funds and may distribute the funds at its sole discretion or pleasure, but it was unfair to disadvantage the PSL, especially since the calculations for allocations were not done by the Zifa Finance Committee.
“Personal or political considerations may affect proper corporate governance. If the Covid-19 funds are meant to restart football, why is the association funding affiliates that have not been organising competitions for many years?
“The following affiliates have been allocated funds yet they have not been running any known competitions. Beach Soccer US$10 000, Futsal (US$10 000), NAPH (US$5 000), NASH (US$5 000), Area Zones (US$10 000).
“It is also not clear why the coaches’ administration and referees associations’ administration are allocated funds when they have no permanent staff nor clear overheads. The funds seem earmarked for administrative purposes rather than the coaches themselves. Coaches (US$10 000), Referees (US$10 000), further, a sum of (US$100 000) has been allocated to referees when there is nothing allocated to professional players. Players are the main participants in the game of football,’’ the clubs wrote to Zifa.
The PSL also questioned the rationale of increasing allocation to provinces.
“The 10 provinces have been allocated US$16 000 per province. We are fully aware that some provinces do not have offices nor employees, but their allocation is more than that of the Premier Soccer League yet the PSL clubs share (18 Clubs) has been maintained at US$100 000 and the Zifa Regions share has been increased from US$100 000 to US$124 000, while and the Zifa provinces’ share increased from US$100 000 to US$160 000.”
The PSL in comparison to other affiliates is by far the biggest and consistent provider of funds to both Zifa and SRC by providing them each with 6 percent of gross gate takings. The league should therefore receive a large portion of the Covid-19 relief funds. — @ZililoR
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