Moorosi Tsiane
THE Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has received $500 000 (about M7 million) from FIFA.
The money is the second batch of Covid-19 relief funds from the global body.
LeFA information officer Mikia Kalati confirmed on Friday that the association had indeed received the second batch.
LeFA received the first instalment of M8, 6 million last August. Last season’s 14 premier league clubs shared M1, 120 million with each club pocketing M80 000 while the 20 A Division clubs shared M800 000. Each side got M40 000.
Clubs from the B Division (458) shared M4, 580 million. Each side got M10 000. The 181 C Division teams each pocketed M6 000 from the total of M1, 086 million.
LeFA structures such as the referees’ department, Lesotho Primary School Sports Association (LEPSSA), Lesotho Institutes Sport Association (LISA), the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) and the A Division Management Committee (ADMACO) shared M395 000. Another M679 000 was set aside for purchasing medical equipment ahead of return to football for the 2020/21 season.
“LeFA would like to inform the football fraternity that it has received the second batch of the FIFA relief funds,” Kalati’s statement said.
He said the LeFA national executive committee (NEC) was yet to decide how the money would be used.
“The LeFA NEC is deliberating as to how the money will be allocated and distributed among its structures and the football fraternity will be kept abreast of the developments,” he said.
Kalati said for any team to qualify for the second disbursement of funds, it must account for the first payment it received last year.
“All beneficiaries including the clubs and LeFA structures, are expected to fully account for the money they received last year.
“Clubs and structures that have not accounted for the first batch will have their allocation withheld until they have accounted for all the money.
“All clubs and structures were warned in good time that they would have to account for them to be eligible for the second tranche of the FIFA relief fund,” Kalati said.