LEOPARD E1.9M IN THE RED

MBABANE – Royal Leopard are in the red.

This is after the Sports Desk  uncovered that the Eswatini CAF Confederation Cup envoys are struggling to participate in the CAF competitions, as they sometimes have to get air flights on credit just for games. According to sources close to Ingwe Mabalabala, things have not been easy as they still owe air flight fees for three different trips. These are Algeria, Egypt and recently the Cameroon trip. They went to Algeria to play JS Saoura in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup on February 20, this year. They ended up losing 2-0 to the Algerian side. The impeccable source disclosed that the costs for the Algerian trip shot up to E593 000, which they did not pay as they were in financial distress. The source further said the Libya trip costs were about E577 000 when they had to play Al Ittihad. This was on March 20, 2022. The police ensemble lost 3-2 in the away encounter. Even on that trip they made arrangements to pay when they received their E4.2 million participation fee from CAF.

Guaranteed

These trips were for the 2021/22 CAF Confederations Cup where they lost all their games. However, by virtue of reaching the group stages, they were guaranteed E4.2 million participation fee. In their group stage, they were in the same group with Orlando Pirates, Algeria’s JS Saoura and Libya’s Al Ittihad. They had qualified in the group after eliminating Algeria’s JS Kabylie 2-2 after they won 1-0 at home and lost 2-1 away. That was between the week of November 28, 2021(first leg), February 6 ,2022 (second leg).

Fast forward to this day, they had to make arrangements for the Cameroon trip where they were supposed to play Coton Sport in the second leg on October 16. The bill for the flights were close to E735 000. In total, Leopard are said to owe E1.9 million in flight fees only. Reached for comment, Leopard Manager Richard ‘Danka’ Fakudze confirmed that they were owing money for three trips.
“Things have not been easy for us as a team. We have been trying to make ends meet as it does not come cheap playing in CAF competitions,” said Fakudze.

He then appealed to the public and any organisations to help them with funds to cater for their away games. Leopard have been relegated to the CAF Confederation Cup after losing 3-2 on aggregate. This means they will have to make another flight to Mali, which does not cost less than half a million. They will be playing AS Real Bamako. They will travel to Mali on November 9. Reports carried by this publication last week suggested that Leopard had been struggling to pay their outstanding balances as they were about E2.1 million by CAF. This is prize money for last season’s tournament where they were supposed to get E4.2 million but were given E2.1 million.

Futile

Efforts to get comments from Eswatini Football Association (EFA) were futile as the Marketing and Communications Officer, Muzi Radebe’s mobile phone was not available. Efforts to get the CEO Frederick Mngomezulu were also futile as he could not be reached immediately. Notably, had Leopard won against Coton Sport, they were guaranteed E9.7 million. Now that they are playing in the CAF Confederation Play-off, they are two games away from E5 million, if they qualify for the group stages.

Royal Leopard outstanding flights fees

• Algeria trip          - E593 000
• Libya trip             - E577 000
• Cameroon Trip    - E735 000
• Total                     -E1.9 million

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