The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) will receive an initial USD 500,000 from FIFA as the first step of a relief plan to assist the football community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The press release by FIFA states;
This measure will mean that a total of around USD 150 million will be distributed among the 211 national football governing bodies around the world.
As part of the measure, all remaining entitlements of member associations to operational costs under the Forward 2.0 Programme will be released in full for the years 2019 and 2020. In particular, the release of the second instalment of operational costs for 2020, which was originally due in July, will be paid immediately.
Under normal circumstances, FIFA’s member associations would have only received the full amount of the contribution upon fulfillment of specific criteria. Instead, FIFA is now transferring this amount as active support to help safeguard football across all member associations.
This immediate financial assistance should be used to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on football in member associations, namely to meet financial or operational obligations that they may have towards staff and other third parties. The standard obligations and responsibilities concerning the use of these funds as outlined in the Forward 2.0 Regulations remain fully applicable and will be subject to the standard audit and reporting process.
The FFSL will receive USD 500,000 (Rs.93,260,000) plus another USD 500,000 provided certain criteria are met. However, as stated above these will only be allowed to use for FFSL’s day-to-day activities, administration, and running costs.
When contacted by ThePapare.com, the President of the FFSL Anura De Silva had this to say;
“We requested FIFA to approve USD 100,000 to be used on the COVID-19 pandemic relief project initiated by FFSL. Hence, we shall use these funds to assist member leagues of FFSL, clubs, players, referees, coaches, and ex-national players, ex-referees too who are in difficulties during this pandemic period.
Concerning the COVID-19 pandemic relief program, we shall transfer funds to all affiliated and active leagues based on their participation in FFSL conducted events in 2019 or was eligible to participate based on their qualifications for events in 2019. (we could not start some events due to the effect suffered by Easter Bombing and later due to adverse weather)
We shall support leagues in two stages. The first fund release shall take place by 12th or 13th May and the second stage by the end of May or the first week of June.
We shall implement criteria for fund allocation based on their participation in the 2019 FA Cup as we insisted on all leagues to conduct the 1st round within their league and to consider that as their knockout tournament for 2019.
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Further, fund allocations will be done to all clubs of 2018/19 Dialog Champions League and all clubs of Division I of 2018/19.
A league will receive between 100,000/- to 300,000/- for total, nearly 54 leagues, Dialog Champions League 17 clubs will receive 300,000/- and Division I club shall receive 150,000/-. We also would help former national players, coaches, referees, etc.
Women’s National pool and U19 National pool of 2019 also would be given with a grant to support their families. FFSL also would do a donation towards the National COVID-19 Fund as a gesture for the general public in this situation.”
So accordingly, FFSL will use USD 100,000 (Rs.18,652,000) to help the leagues, Dialog Champions League and Division I clubs as well as the players (former & current), coaches, referees. However, the question remains if the USD 100,000 is enough to support the above-mentioned stakeholders adequately.
(USD 1 = LKR 186.92 as at 10th May 2020)
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