BFA Receives FIFA Relief Funds

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday September 7, 2020 12:56

 

BFA Receives FIFA Relief Funds

The association received P5 000, 000 as part of the relief fund from the world’s football governing body last week.

The money is meant to cushion FIFA’s member associations from financial shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, the BFA announced that it received $500, 000 (around P5, 000, 000) as the first solidarity grant installment. The BFA COVID-19 relief task team made recommendations upon the arrival of the fund, which the BFA national executive committee (NEC) approved.

BFA NEC approved a total distribution of P1, 937, 500 for 16 Premier League sides. It also approved a total of P270, 000 for 12 Debswana First Division South teams and the same amount for Debswana First North sides. Each Premier League side, will receive P121, 093.75 while First Division sides will get P22, 500 each from the fund.

In an interview with Sport Monitor on Saturday, BFA spokesperson, Tumo Mpatane said the money will be distributed equally amongst clubs in the same division and not based on each club’s wage bill.

“All BPL teams will get an equal share. The different wage bills are according to their wealth, but to us all teams are equal,” Mpatane said. The Debswana National First Division administration will also get a share of P50, 000.

Regional Football Associations teams will get a total of P1, 445, 000 while P212, 500 is reserved for the administration of the leagues in the regions. From the relief fund, the BFA associate members that have also been directly affected by the pandemic have not been left out.

A total of P545, 000 has been set aside for referees’ relief and operations while Coaches association will get P45, 000. Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB), which is the voice of professional players in the country has been allocated P100, 000 for its operations. The BFA also set aside P125, 000, which goes directly to the Players’ welfare fund.

 welfare fund has been set up by FUB to back local footballers in instances where they have lost potential future earnings owing to career ending injuries.

It will also serve to offer empowerment programmes to current and former players. According to the BFA, the funds were distributed to structures effective this past Friday.