ZIFA Quiet On PSL Bailout Package
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is yet to avail a relief package to cushion local clubs from the financial crisis caused by COVID-19 as it promised.
Two weeks ago, ZIFA president Felton Kamambo promised to bail out the Premier Soccer League (PSL) after the association received a stimulus package from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the world and continental football governing bodies respectively.
FIFA provided a relief package of US$500 000 to all its member associations while CAF availed US$200 000 to each association.
Meanwhile, Dynamos chairperson Isiah Mupfurutsa told the Daily News that while the club’s players’ salaries are being catered for by sponsors, additional support is needed to take care of other needs. Said Mupfurutsa:
If we get money from Zifa it will be most welcome. We are already in a critical situation.
We have our budget but it has been strained. I’m just hoping that Zifa will speed up the process and bail out clubs because it’s not looking okay.
The 2020 Castle Lager Premiership season was scheduled to start in March but with a nationwide lockdown in place, those plans had to be shelved.
PSL clubs depend mostly on gate takings to fund their operations and after four months without football, they are now in dire financial straits.
