Covid-19 funds divide PSL

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

COVID-19 relief funds seem to have divided Premier Soccer League clubs, with some reportedly accepting the US$5 000 that topflight bosses had agreed to take once Zifa resolves the issue of slashing the league’s administrative share by half.

In a move that left PSL sides shocked, Zifa announced a slash in the funding to be availed to the league in a revised schedule of the funds being disbursed as part of the US$1.5 million relief package availed by world soccer governing body Fifa.

The association slashed by half the initial US$20 000 they had allocated to the PSL for administration to facilitate the safe return of football in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PSL wrote to Zifa seeking clarity on the matter, arguing that as the topflight league with over 750 employees, they deserved a larger share of the cake.

Having won the battle for Zifa to deposit the Covid-19 funds into their nostro accounts instead of being paid in local currency, the clubs wanted the national association to address the issue of the second tranch payment of US$66 000 that was wiped out from the revised schedule.

The clubs also sought clarification on the payment of the Fifa Forward 2.0 funds US$50 000 allocation which the PSL clubs deemed is to be paid to the PSL annually.

Some PSL governors yesterday said they were disappointed to learn that some of their colleagues had accepted money from Zifa without resolving outstanding issues.

“What we had agreed on is that we will wait for Zifa to respond to matters we raised before submitting our account numbers. As clubs we had submitted our account numbers to the PSL, but we were shocked when Zifa called asking us to send our accounts. Some clubs remained steadfast and told them to pick the account numbers from the PSL, but some gave in and have been paid. Now that’s a divide and rule tactic which Zifa used and now how do we get them to address matters we raised,” said one governor.

Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela could not be drawn into revealing names of PSL clubs that have been paid, but confirmed that amounts deposited were according to the schedule.

“Payments have been done as per schedule,” said Gwesela.

Dynamos are said to have been among the first club to get the relief fund.

– @ZililoR