FFSL proposes massive salary hike for employees
Following an Emergency Executive Committee meeting of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) last week, which was meant to discuss and approve matters related to the forthcoming FIFA Series 2024, the football hierarchy is attempting another ‘out of norm’ move the Sunday Times learns.
With many matters pending related to the FFSL elected administrators, the top management has drafted a document proposing salary increments to its permanent staff members. The list includes staffers from bottom to top in ranks, numbering to a total of 48.
But the proposed salary increment is yet to be implemented and approved by the Executive Committee, who should be discussing the matters at an Executive Committee meeting in accordance to the constitutional practices.
The significant highlight of the proposed salary increment list is the manner the increment slabs have been proposed on different individuals. Notably, one employee is to receive a 114% increment and another is proposed a 104% hike. Four have been proposed a 100% pay hike, with one, a clerical staffer, set to receive a 75% raise.
Almost 30 members of the total list are subjected to an increment ranging from 10% to 67% as 10 have been listed below 9%, which has left many in baffles as to which method was followed when the proposed salary increment was drafted.
The notable aspect of the document is even the scale of the five national coaching staff members, where three have been proposed to a 100%, one with a 104% and the other with a 35% hike. If the increment is approved, all coaching staff members will receive a salary with the same six-digit number.
It is revealed that the proposed increment was made following a Human Resource Audit, to which many parts such as staff requirement and recruitment, job description, training and development requirements, career planning, performance appraisals, salary and increments, welfare and grievances were considered.
However, many within the football circle, are highly critical on the manner the present FFSL hierarchy, headed by Jaswar Umar, is acting with many mandatory obligations yet to be fulfilled. Despite being almost six months old since election, the FFSL Committees are yet to be appointed, where each should have a Chairman and a number of members. The failure to appoint committees to oversee areas of Finance, Organising Committee for FFSL Competitions, Technical and Development, Referees, Women’s Football, Players’ Status and Members Service, in accordance to the FFSL Constitution, raises many questions, and some question if decisions made by the Executive Committee could be identified as legitimate under present circumstances.
So far, only the head to each committee has been appointed without a deputy or the required number of members to each of the seven committees. This, according to a football expert, could find FFSL in further disarray for breaching its own constitution if the regional or global bodies are made aware.
In addition the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a position constitutionally equivalent to the General Secretary's position, is yet to be fulfilled as well as the Technical Director and Internal Auditor, few of the important and mandatory positions need to be filled.
The serving FFSL administration has shown less commitment and focus into its very own domestic projects, such as the Inter-Club League and the FA Cup, Women’s and Junior, and the development projects for juniors, players, coaches, and officials, in addition to training programmes conducted both locally and internationally.