PSL lose huge Covid-19 chunk

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE Premier Soccer League are set to be the biggest losers, in the disbursement of the FIFA Covid-19 relief funds, after ZIFA reviewed what they will give their affiliates.

The top-flight league saw their projected earnings, from the initial disbursement share, fall by about US$76 000.

The league had their administration funds slashed half after ZIFA revised their share from US$20 000 to US$10 000.

However, the US$100 000, which was given to the 18 PSL clubs to share equally, hasn’t changed.

The association revealed they had actually appealed for US$11.5 million from FIFA, to help domestic football, but — just like all the other member associations — ended up getting a fraction of what they wanted.

And, the amounts which had been set to be invested to take care of referees, and other commitments for the top-flight league, have been reduced and spread to the lower leagues.

FIFA have given ZIFA US$500 000 to be used to provide relief for men’s football, with a similar amount earmarked specifically for women’s football.

The association have also been given US$300 000 by CAF.

Another US$500 000 relief package for men’s football, will come from FIFA in January next year.

The Herald had exclusively revealed at the end of last month, that the PSL clubs’ gamble, for a bigger share of the FIFA Covid-19 relief cake, could backfire.

This followed a campaign by some of the clubs to force the association for an increase of the US$5 500, which each club had been earmarked to get.

The clubs raised the concerns during a meeting with the ZIFA leadership, the first such indaba outside Congress, to discuss the state of the game battered by the Covid-19 outbreak.

However, in the wake of that indaba, pressure was exerted on the association, by the lower structures, for a bigger share of the cake.

The lower structures argued that, just like their PSL counterparts, they have also borne the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic and should be covered as adequately as the top-flight clubs.

“The meeting between ZIFA and the PSL changed things in a number of ways because it triggered concern from the regions, the provinces and other constituencies,’’ sources said last month.

“They started to argue they were also key members of the local football family, and should be treated as such, because they have also been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak.

“They said while the PSL is the flagship league, it doesn’t exist in isolation as it requires the lower leagues which are found in the regional and provincial leagues, for it to continue to exist, and function.

“Therefore, according to the regions and provinces, there is need for a review of what was allocated to them when ZIFA came up with the amounts which were to be disbursed.’’

Amid relentless pressure, it appears the ZIFA board, which met in Harare on Tuesday, decided to increase the share of the lower leagues, with Division Three and Four clubs also being given a piece of the pie.

ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, yesterday said the adjustments, which saw some of the money moved from PSL to the lower structures, were a result of wide consultations with the affiliates.

“It was after consultations with other affiliates and that is what was recommended,’’ he said.

“It’s certainly not a counter reaction to whatsoever, these are recommendations of affiliates, through stakeholder consultations, for equitable distribution of Covid-19 relief funds.

“PSL are not the only affiliate saddled with administration expenses.

“ZIFA and its affiliates reserve the right to apportion the funds in the way they see fit instead of being micromanaged into explaining every detail.

“The figures we have released are final,” said Gwesela.

The latest figures show that the share for the regions increased from US$100 000 to US$124 000.

The provinces got a rise from US$100 000 to US$160 000 while the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League office’s share was boosted from US$10 000 to US$15 000.

The PSL office lost US$10 000 and a tranche of US$66 000, which has now been set aside as referees’ fees for Division One to Division Four.

Zimbabwean football has been in limbo since it was halted after the Covid-19 outbreak in March.

ZIFA have set up a medical committee, and undertaken to meet some of the costs like paying for the Covid-19 test kits and referees.

However, everything points to the reality that no association football is likely to be played in this country this year.

The league asked their clubs to submit their nostro accounts by end of business yesterday.

“To put it in the right context, this is relief money,’’ said Gwesela. “It’s not for the running of the league, but a grant just to help out the affiliates during this Covid-19 crisis. So, it had to be shared equitably.

“As you can see, it’s not enough, we actually tabled a budget of US$11.5 million to FIFA but we got US$1.5 million and another US$300 000 from CAF.

“So, there was no malice whatsoever in the PSL getting a reduction. We just wanted everybody to get something out of the grant.’’

PSL clubs have bemoaned the measly handouts extended to them by ZIFA.

“The money that was allocated to the clubs was inadequate from the start,” said a club official, who chose not to be named.

“We had expected the FIFA bailout to lift the clubs and, at least, allow competition to go on this year. But, with US$5 500 what can you do?

“Let’s say you have a staff complement of 50 or 60 people, including players, technical team and office workers, it means each will get less than US$100.

“And it’s going to be a once-off payment, which isn’t enough for some of the players to pay rent.

“Don’t forget these guys have high expectations and they have been asking, time and again, when the money will come because of the difficult times everyone is going through at the moment.

“At least, there is now hope after the PSL asked clubs to submit their nostro account details by Wednesday (yesterday).’’