PSL seek piece of FIFA pie

PREMIER Soccer League clubs, which are reeling under a tough operating environment, have started making enquiries with the Zimbabwe Football Association ( ZIFA) as they seek to access funds that have been extended by the world football governing body, FIFA.

recently received US$ 500 000 from ZIFA as part of the latter’s Forward 2.0 ProFIFA gramme funds, which were ordinarily due to the association in July.

In bringing forward the disbursements,

considered the need to cushion mem

FIFA ber associations already badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

ZIFA, on their part, have also lobbied

FIFA for extra funding to bail out their affiliates.

But it is the share of the Forward 2.0

FIFA Funds — a US$ 1 million grant which

ZIFA receive annually in two batches from the world body — which the elite clubs want a piece of.

The expectations by the top clubs are buoyed by guidelines suggesting

FIFA affiliates such as the are entitled to 10

PSL percent of the US$ 500 000 kitty.

The Forward 2.0 plan adopted at the

Council meeting in Kigali on October

FIFA 26 2018 set the tone for a new four-year funding cycle between 2019 and 2022, “with a 20 percent increase in the annual entitlement for each of the 211 member associations and six confederations’’.

chairperson Farai Jere, however,

PSL believes clubs have misinterpreted the

FIFA guidelines, insisting the money is for ZIFA to use in the administration of the game.

“I think it is a question of wrong interpretation. That money is not for . . . or any

PSL affiliate in particular. It is for to use in the ZIFA administration of the game, and they can choose to hold a tournament for all teams from to the lower leagues to cover other

PSL administrative costs.

“only want to know if you have an

FIFA active national league, women’s football or referees so that they check if you satisfy the criteria for the release of the funds,’’said Jere.

Jere is also the PSL’s point man in as

ZIFA he sits on the association’s board. The top clubs, however, have their own views and believe should share at least US$ 50 000

ZIFA with their flagship affiliate, the PSL. Some of the club executives told The

Sunday Mail Sport that releasing part of the grant to the would also be in rec

PSL ognition of the role the elite league plays in the development of players who feed into the national teams, including the Warriors squad, which is wholly local.

CHAN

United vice president Nhamo TutiCAPS sani feels parcelling the grant to the

PSL would assist the top flight lure more corporate investment.

“Our league should be attractive and this should be addressed by investment, and the

badly needs this grant because it can

PSL improve on things like travel by clubs and bringing in occupational therapists for our players. And if the gives us the money, it

FA will also complement what we are getting from Delta ( PSL’s title sponsors).

“If competition increases, more corporates will come through and associate with football,’’Tutisani said.

Chicken Inn secretary Tawengwa Hara also noted with concern that “there had been a misconception that has already

ZIFA bailed out the clubs through a waiver of

PSL affiliation fees’’. Hara said the Forward

FIFA funds would be a welcome relief for them.

“This is welcome relief to the clubs and my club welcomes this development. What I didn’t understand is the distribution announcement by the emergency

ZIFA committee about money being given to affiliates equivalent to what they paid.

“I personally don’t see clubs benefit

PSL ing because they are not directly affiliated to and never received an invoice about

ZIFA such payment.

“We only paid and affiliated to PSL, so we risk losing out if the announcement of the distribution is anything to go by, and I think they are trying to shield us from what

we are entitled to,’’ Hara said.

Highlanders chief executive Nhlanhla Dube urged and to urgently engage

PSL ZIFA over the funds.

“It is prudent, if not urgent, for the

PSL leaders to engage regarding the histori

ZIFA cal and current distribution of the funds and confirm that indeed there is an allocation for the men’s top-flight competition,” he said.

“I think it is of utmost importance to allow clubs to contextualise the conversation.

“If indeed there is a legitimate claim for the clubs, it is of utmost importance to understand that clubs’ major cost centre is the playing staff and coaches, without whom football would be a mirage. So, any funds that are available for relief should be channelled towards supporting this expenditure. Clubs are going to struggle to keep players looked after for the period the game remains on lockdown, and this is worsened by the fact that traditional financial support through partnership and or sponsorship is unlikely to be available in fantastic proportions as industry is also a casualty of the vagaries of the Covid-19 pandemic.”