FA Malawi abuses FIFA grants
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has been blamed for abusing grants the association has been receiving from the world football governing body Fifa.
According to a document from the world governing body’s auditor AMG Global, the association received a total of US$ 1050,000 in grants meant for various programmes and projects.
But this is while the association has been nagging the government to offer funding for the national team engagements.
Among the beneficiary programmes sanctioned by Fifa are US$10,000, men’s competitions US$300,000 (K150 million), women’s competitions US$112,500 around (K27 million), technical development US15,500, refereeing US20,000, Futsal and Beach Soccer US10,000, planning and administration US282,000, Infrastructure US$300,000.
The sources said the money would have been enough to meet some of the financial needs the association wants.
“With all this, FAM still take its begging bowl to Malawi government. It also gets money from national team games, cup games gate collections shares,” said a concerned soccer fan.
The expenses on women’s football is far much less that than what FIfa recommends by giving out grants.
FAM has for the past two years failed to hold Presidential Cup which was initially pegged at K60 million as the money was diverted towards the national team.
This year Malawi National Council of Sports has directed to the association to hold the competition but it might not involve the elite league teams.
In 2014 the football association also pocketed a total of US$$500,000 from the some projects of which US$250,000 was a bonus that Fifa offered to the association for the South Africa World Cup proceeds.
The association is intending to buy a bus despite the fact the South Africa offered a bus that was used during the 2010 World Cup as a token of appreciation for the countries in the region who contributed to the success of Africa’s first ever greatest football fiesta.
In 2013 it received US$250,000 and 2012 it got also US$250,000 and in 2011 it pocketed US$550,000