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Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER getting the green light to resume football, ZIFA have committed to cater for initial funds for the PSL clubs’ Covid-19 testing while modalities are being worked on how to meet the recurring huge costs which might be prohibitive for football resumption in this country.
A total of 17 medium and high risk sport codes were on Friday evening given the green light to resume activities by the Sports Commission.
They include ZIFA which got permission for the Premier Soccer League and the women’s national soccer league to go ahead first. ZIFA competitions committee this week is expected to convene a meeting with their two elite leagues to discuss on the finer details of football resumption.
The association expects the testing part to go on well having done it before last year when their medical committee disbursed testing kits to all the top-flight clubs.
Yesterday, ZIFA president Felton Kamambo said they would want to have football return as quickly as possible and avoid bleeding more football time.
Premier Soccer League require at least six weeks of pre-season training.
“There is a stakeholders meeting between ZIFA and the two affiliates to chart the way forward and see how much we have in our coffers. We had a budget for medical which will cover club testing, but as ZIFA we don’t have enough money.
“We were happy that we got the approval, but there are some challenges that are there, and we will engage one another, engage the Government through the Sports Commission as well as FIFA.
“We don’t have much, that should be clear from the word go.
“We have nine matches per week for PSL, and club players and officials are an average of 30 people, that will require testing before a game and a club requires at least US$450 for rapid tests which range from US$10 to $15, and the same club would have tested twice in a month while training, so for one weekend about US$8 100 will be spent to play one round of matches, and at the end of the month, that figure can run up to many thousands,” Kamambo said.
With no official word yet from Zurich pertaining to 2021 relief packages, ZIFA are hopeful that fresh funds would be released to assist clubs that have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
ZIFA have successfully lobbied for funds from FIFA in the past, and will continuously doing so, so that clubs that have been hit hard by Covid-19 are cushioned.
FIFA bailed out ZIFA by approving a package to cater for the association’s crippling legacy debt which had now ballooned to US$10 million and stifled various development programmes over the past seven years.
“We lobby for funds from FIFA, we always do, and last year we were one of the few if not the first country to get such assistance of a once-off payment to clear the legacy debt.
“This year no decision has been made yet on Covid-19 funds. But once we get we will always assist.
“Everyone is aware that clubs are hard hit, so it’s a tall order for them to resume football having been taking care of players’ welfare for the past one year, so we want to make sure they have minimal costs and every stakeholder should understand that.
“However, whilst we are lobbying, the affiliates must also do something like the PSL should also engage sponsors and pursue TV rights deals,” Kamambo said.
Kamambo clarified on last year’s FIFA Covid-19 funds, which he says have created a lot of confusion and misconception even among the key football stakeholders.
“The funds, which came last year from FIFA and were meant to assist football stakeholders when football was not active, were distributed.
“We received US$1.8 million, which was distributed to all affiliates. The women’s constituency received US$500 000 which went to the clubs and part of it for their national teams, which covered some of their costs for the COSAFA Under-20 and the Mighty Warriors teams who went to South Africa in November.
“The only funding left was for national teams and Covid-19 testing, which had its allocation. That is the money we are now going to use, we used part of it last year when PSL clubs were tested and I don’t have the exact figures on me on what is left in the coffers.
“From the Covid-19 funds, we also allocated an allocation for the referees’ payments, so that one hasn’t been used and we will assist with the referees’ fees for all the matches.
“We even wrote to PSL first, when we received the SRC letter last week, seeking for our commitment, we asked them if they were able to resume under these conditions, although they did not respond to it,” he said.
In a statement, the Sports Commission issued out a list of compliant associations and gyms. “Following the notice issued on the 16th of March 2021 informing the public on the decision of the Cabinet authorising the resumption of sport codes previously designated as “medium and High risk”, the Sports and Recreation Commission, wishes to advise the public that the following National Sport Associations have complied with the requirements for resumption and should therefore resume sports activities:
Medium and High Risk Approved List
Zimbabwe Korfball Association, Zimbabwe Volleyball Association, Judo Association of Zimbabwe, Basketball Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Boxing Federation, Squash Rackets Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National Karate Federation, Zimbabwe Gymnastics Association, Hockey Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Football Association (PSL, Women’s League & Internationals only), Zimbabwe Netball Association, Zimbabwe Rugby Union, Zimbabwe Handball Federation, National Darts Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Wushu Federation, Zimbabwe Kickboxing Association, National Federation of Zimbabwe Body-Building and Fitness.
Approved gyms
Mi Gym (Harare) Pro-Fitness Health Club (Harare) Victoria falls Boxing Academy and Gym (Victoria Falls) Oxygen Gym (Harare) Justin Classic Gym (Marondera) Olympus Health and Fitness (Harare) Body Active Gym (Harare).
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