Times Of Swaziland: AS COFFERS RUN DRY ... EFA IN E1.3M DILEMMA

AS COFFERS RUN DRY ... EFA IN E1.3M DILEMMA
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Sanele Jele on 24/12/2024 10:08:00


MBABANE – The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) is reportedly relying on
external assistance for securing this week’s trip to Mauritius.
The bill for the trip has been calculated at E1.3 million. Despite arranging
flights and accommodation, the costs of E880 000 for air tickets and E480 000
for lodging have left the association distressed. A source close to the
situation disclosed that EFA convened a meeting last week, prioritising the
urgent need to secure funding for two trips related to the African Nations
Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.
Having already suffered a 0-2 defeat to Madagascar in the first leg at Lucas
Moripe Stadium in South Africa, Sihlangu are set to face a formidable challenge
in the return leg, scheduled for this Sunday at the Cote d’Or National Sports
Complex in Mauritius, kicking off at 2pm. While around E500 000 was secured for
the initial trip to Pretoria, garnering financial backing for the Mauritius trip
has proved daunting. Madagascar are hosting the game in Mauritius, as they also
do not have an internationally-approved stadium.
Difficulties
“The trip has presented significant difficulties for EFA due to its absence
from the budget. This tournament is not on the FIFA calendar, which is why EFA
is struggling to finance it. The only viable solution was to arrange the trip on
credit. Accommodation costs around E480 000, while air tickets amount to E880
000 for a 30-member delegation,” the source explained. It was reported that
EFA plans to settle the credit bill in January, when they hope to receive
approximately over E10 million from FIFA (International Federation of
Association Football).
Finances
EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe could only say that issues
relating to finances are administrative and are only discussed during the
General Assembly. The reporter wanted to know whether the trip to Mauritius was
funded using credit on top of establishing if the EFA was currently facing
difficulties in financing trips for the CHAN. This publication also wanted to
establish how the EFA planned to repay the credit used for this trip.
By the time this report was compiled, Radebe had not responded to the enquiries
sent via WhatsApp. A notable parallel can be drawn with Zimbabwe’s national
team during the 2021 CHAN tournament, when the Zimbabwe Football Association
grappled with severe financial constraints that hindered its ability to fund
preparations and travel for the event.
Economic challenges and a lack of sponsorship created significant obstacles in
organising logistics for the players and coaching staff. For Sihlangu, the
stakes are high; they must secure a victory by at least three goals to qualify
for the CHAN finals, scheduled for February 1-28, 2025, in Tanzania, Uganda and
Kenya.