By Barrie Alpha
Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has on Thursday July 30 2020, confirmed the disbursement of One Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($ 1.3m) COVID-19 relief fund to members of the football family.
The SLFA Executive Committee held a consultative meeting with key football stakeholders in order to discuss plans on the disbursement of the FIFA and CAF COVID-19 relief fund approved recently.
Making his statement on the disbursement of FIFA and CAF COVID-19 relief funds, SLFA’s General Secretary, Christopher Kamara said the Executive Committee had reached an agreement on how the money would be allocated to members of the Football Family.
The disbursement of FIFA and CAF COVID-19 relief funds take the following form:
National Teams: National Men Senior team ($20,000), National Men team B ($15,000), National Men U-23 ($10,000), National Men U-20 ($15,000), National Boys U-17 ($15,000), National Boys U- 15 ($5,000), National Women Senior team ($20,000), National Women U-20 ($15,000), National Girls U-17 ($15,000), National Girls U-15 ($15,000) and Beach Football teams ($5,000).
League Clubs: 14 Premier League clubs ($210,000), Female Football and Officials ($75,000).
Regional Football Associations: 5 Regional Football Associations ($150,000).
District Football Associations: 16 District Football Associations ($192,000).
Competitions: Management of Premier League (PLB) ($200,000).
Other Football Associations: Coaches Association ($25,000), Referees Association ($25,000) and Retired Football Heroes ($30,000).
Wider Football Community: Match Commissioners ($5,000), Courses for Football Administrators ($25,000), Match Venues and Security ($5,000), Media Capacity for Sport Journalists ($5,000), Staff Cost-SLFA ($10,000), Sport Medicines ($5,000), Amputee Football ($3,000), Deaf and Dumb Football ($5,000), Football for Peace Project ($30,000) and General Admin. & Operation Costs ($150,000), this is a total of One Million, Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($1,300,000) i.e. One Million, US Dollars ($1,000,000) from FIFA to be disbursed in two trenches Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) this July 2020 and Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) in January 2021, again Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000) will be received from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), so it gives us a total of One Million, Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($1,300,000).
Kamara also said because the fund was coming in two tranches, SLFA’s Executive Committee had agreed that some of the beneficiaries would similarly receive the funds in two trenches between July 2020 and January 2021 and others will receive theirs in July 2020.
“But this is dependent upon all the funds that clubs and associations has received from the FA, until you make your retirement these funds will not be extended to you; the retirement of funds you have received we are yet to receive a single retirement, I am very proud of the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) has been the only body that has able to send us their retirement, so we are still waiting for clubs, associations, regions and districts,” he stressed.
He concluded by extending his thanks and appreciations to the President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Madam Isha Johansen and her Executive for making sure that the entire membership of the Football Family benefits from the FIFA and CAF COVID-19 Relief Funds.