Zifa willing to pay in foreign currency

THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) board will continue to engage affiliates on how best to disburse the coronavirus (Covid-19) funds that are coming from Fifa as well as Caf.

Meetings are planned in the regions as from Wednesday until Saturday where Zifa hope to gather from their members suggestions on the distribution of the money. Zifa are set to receive a total of US$1,8 million as part of the Covid-19 relief fund, that is US$1,5 million from Fifa and US$300 000 from Caf. From the Fifa allocation, US$500 000 is specifically meant for women football.

Last Saturday, Zifa met the leadership of the 18 Premier Soccer League clubs where a submission was made that the funds be dispensed in foreign currency.

Phillemon Machana, the Zifa board member in charge of finance said because of that recommendation, they will seek to gather more views from all those who make up the Zifa Congress.

“We are now consulting, we are going to meet the regions and all those who make up the regions from Wednesday to Saturday. When we have finished the four regions, at the end we would have met the entire Zifa Assembly. Seeing that there are restrictions, the meetings might be virtual, the engagement process is ongoing,’’ Machana said.

He feels that it is heartening to see the affiliates being able to freely speak on how best they think the relief funds should be handled. At the end of the consultations, the Felton Kamambo board, as mandated by the constitution, will decide on the best way forward.

“From where we stand, it is encouraging that people are finding their voices, the ultimate decision in between congresses lies with the executive committee. From our meetings, we might agree to what PSL clubs are proposing or stick with what we had decided.”

Machana sought to clarify on the US$175 000 that has dispersed to the four regions and women’s football in local currency at the prevailing auction rate. The four Zifa regions shared US$100 000 while the 19 Women Super League teams got US$75 000 to split among themselves.
According to the Zifa man in charge of finances, they decided to make use of the US$500 000 forward funds from Fifa and US$200 000 annual grant from Caf, which they will replace when relief money comes. Initially, the amount that has now been allocated to the four Zifa regions was meant to have gone to the PSL clubs but they did not provide banking details.

CLICK HERE TO READ the proposed Zifa Covid-19 disbursements

“We had our board meeting and since we had something in our accounts, there was a request that we assist the clubs with whatever was there since the clubs are in dire straits. It was done in good spirits of trying to assist the clubs. We requested bank account numbers for PSL clubs but they never provided that information until we learnt that they wanted to be paid in foreign currency,’’ he said.

On why they made the distribution in local currency, Machana said that was a Zifa board resolution which they clarified to the regions and the women.

“We told them (regions and women) the reasons for deciding to pay in RTGS. It was a board decision to pay in local currency, we think we are justified now that the interbank rate is showing what is prevailing on the market. We are willing to listen and if that is what our affiliates want, the money in foreign currency, the board is prepared to do that. The entire US$1,8 million has been allocated and the list made public,’’ said Machana.

Zifa had asked for US$11,5 million to Fifa based on the consultations done with affiliates but the world football governing body decided to give all its 211 members US$1,5 million each.

“We requested for US$11,5 million from Fifa after asking affiliates how they were impacted and how we were impacted as Zifa. For PSL, we had budgeted US$2,5 million. Fifa decided to give us US$1,5 million, it was at their discretion.”

Machana said Fifa are firm on how their funds are used, with Zifa required to submit statutory audit from external auditors to Zurich, which is also sent to the Sports and Recreation Commission. In addition to the statutory audit, Zifa are further required to provide a specific audit for Fifa funds to show how the money was used. It is only after Fifa are satisfied that Zifa get their allocation. ­- @Mdawini_29  -The Sunday Times