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EFA WILL LOSE E8M FIFA GRANT

17/08/2020 00:55:00 BY LWAZI DLAMINI

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Sports Editor

MBABANE – Nullifying the 2019/2020 football season will cost the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) an arm and a leg.

It could cost as much as US$500 000 (about E8 million) if the decision to nullify the 2019/2020 season is taken on Thursday when the EFA Executive Committee meet to decide the fate of the suspended season.

The Times Sports desk has reliably gathered that the US$1 million (about E16.5 million) pledged by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) to protect and restart football has strict conditions attached to it. The money is to be released in two batches of US$500 000 for the 2020 calendar year and in January 2021 for that calendar year.

“If the executive committee decides to cancel the season then the EFA won’t be able to apply for the funding since the money conditions are specific. You cannot get the money if you are not active,” a source at the EFA Executive Committee said.

EFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngometulu confirmed that the FIFA US$1 million has football resumption protocols and will be released in two batches, now and in January next year.

“The funding has football resumption protocols, you cannot access the money if your football season is not active. When you apply you state your case and it has to meet the protocols outlined by the special committee looking at this funding and if you do not meet those requirements, then surely you cannot access it,” Mngometulu said.

Decision

He explained that the decision on the fate of the 2019/2020 season will determine everything regarding the FIFA funding.

“Our position to COSAFA, CAF and FIFA was clear that we intend to resume and finish the season. If that position changes following the meeting on August 20, then we would have to alert those international bodies as well.

“So you cannot get the money if you cancel because the conditions are on resumption,” Mngometulu said.

However, Mngometulu clarified that for the national teams – in all age categories – it is a different ball game as the games are pencilled to resume in October.

“Those games are controlled internationally so they have already given the green light to resume games in October for the national teams.

“We would be able to apply for the funding in that regard as the resumption protocols will be met but for the domestic programme, we will continue to engage government as well as depend on the decision on August 20,” he added.

Each association in the 211-members of FIFA will receive US$ 1 million (about E16.5 million) to protect and restart football and an additional US$500 000 (about E8.2 million) specifically for women’s football during the third phase.

“FIFA’s groundbreaking COVID-19 Relief Plan reached a major milestone as the Bureau of the FIFA council approved the plan’s regulations. Under the terms of the COVID-19 Relief Plan, USD$1.5 billion is being made available to support all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederation to assist in the alleviation of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” part of the report on the FIFA website reads.

The report further states that the plan was originally drawn up by the FIFA administration in lose co-operation with the confederations and subsequently approved by the FIFA Council on June 25, 2020.

Compliance

“The regulations establish strict compliance and audit requirements, as well as clear loan repayment conditions under the supervision of a steering committee,” part of the report reads.

In the first phase of the plan, the maximum amount of FIFA Forward operational costs entitlements to member associations was released.

For the second phase, member associations have now been given the ability to transform remaining FIFA Forward development project grants into COVID-19 operational relief funds – with a minimum of 50 per cent of the released funds to be allocated to women’s football.