“FIFA Member Associations (MAs) will receive $1m each in two installments” – Veron Mosengo-Omba

Sports

FIFA Member Associations’ (MA) chief officer Veron Mosengo-Omba has explained the mechanisms of distribution and control of relief funds during a FIFA zoom press conference held on Monday 29th June 2020 on their COVID-19 relief package and the COVID-19 impact on their international match calendar.

He said FIFA MAs, including Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), will receive $1 million each, adding that payment will be made in two installments: $500,000 in July 2020 and another $500,000 in January 2021. Stakeholders (clubs, leagues, players, etc), he disclosed, are to also benefit from this relief fund.

However, he said there would be strict guidelines or control on the use of the funds. “If a member association doesn’t fully utilise the $1 million, the remaining cash will not be returned to FIFA. The MA will be authorised to use it to develop football locally.” Answering to questions posed by sports journalists, the MA chief officer said sports journalists are considered partners in the development of the game, adding “they’re feeling the pinch of the COVID-19, too”.

He said they can benefit from this relief fund if a member association deems it fit to include them in the list of beneficiaries. Mosengo-Omba disclosed MAs are also entitled to receive an additional $500,000 each for women football. To protect and restart women football, according to him, a single payment will be made to all MAs in July (next month), stating: “If the money isn’t fully utilised by an MA, it’ll not be returned to FIFA, it’ll be instead used for the development of football locally by the MA.”

He said MAs are also allowed to apply for loans amounting up to 35% of their audited annual revenues (minimum $500,000 and maximum $5 million). “A single payment will be made in July (next month) to all MAs approved for the loans.” In another development, FIFA deputy secretary Mattias Grafstrom said in the zoom press conference that international matches in Africa would remain suspended in September because of COVID-19.

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