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Petros Kausiyo, Harare Bureau
ZIFA  are set to breathe life into their development programmes through increased Fifa support should the association satisfy the world soccer governing body by tabling an operating budget that could see half a million dollars being pumped into their coffers.

Fifa recently unveiled a development programme — Fifa Forward — through which two new funding mechanisms will be used to support the association.

The world body introduced an Operating Budget, which comes with $500 000 and the Project funding through which members can access $750 000 per year for four years with the programmes replacing the Goal Project and the Financial Assistance Programme.

Fifa development officer for Southern Africa Ashford Mamelodi is optimistic the new Zifa leadership will be able to access the $500 000 in November and the Project funding before year end.

Mamelodi was in Zimbabwe for a three-day fact finding mission on the status of football in the country  during, which he met with the Zifa executive members, councillors, former administrators, the association’s workers and the games stakeholders including creditors.

The veteran administrator also met with the Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane, the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe, former referees and the Sport and Recreation Commission officials.

Mamelodi remained optimistic the Zifa assembly, which meets in the capital at the end of next month, would approve that operating budget that the executive would have tabled, which would in turn pave the way for the domestic football body to access Fifa funding.

But the honorary Cosafa secretary-general dismissed perceptions by some within the Zimbabwe football circles that he had been on a Fifa mission to dole out funding to extinguish Zifa’s debilitating debt pegged at $6 million.

“It would be misplaced for anyone to think that I was here to have Fifa pay the Zifa debt.

“Fifa have a new development programme called Fifa Forward which replaces the Goal project and FAP (financial assistance programme) so what was FAP is now Operating Budget  which has $500 000.

“Previously it was $250 000 a year but Fifa have doubled that. The association can also access $750 000 Project Funding per year and in four years associations would have received $5 million from Fifa but that is if you do your things right .

“That money is only released where there is financial compliance, audited accounts, reports and an approved budget.

“At every AGM the budget must be presented so in October when the Zifa assembly meets, the budget for next year must be approved by the assembly,’’ Mamelodi said.

Mamelodi said Fifa had become stricter in the manner in which they now administer and disburse financial support to member associations.

Zifa have continued to be pegged back in their operations as they fight litigation from all angles.

It is also hoped that Zifa will expedite the compilation of the forensic audit report which the association’s leadership would want to use to clarify the true state of their debt.

But as Zifa continue to seek ways to eradicate the debt that had also sparked the bid for voluntary sequestration, Mamelodi also urged for a better understanding between the association and the creditors.

“The Zifa leadership really have need to have a meeting of minds with creditors because any perceived arrogance on either side will aggravate issues.

“As long as the debt is there it will be very difficult for Zifa to focus on developing the game.

“I have always seen it  (the debt) as a big challenge…. Are we going to have adequate preparations for the African Cup of Nations  for both the men and the women’s teams with the financial challenge that Zifa are facing with this debt because any money coming Zifa’s way the creditors will be waiting to pounce on it.

“When money is found there will be need to audit the creditors and see how genuine the claims are,’’ Mamelodi said.

Zifa yesterday indicated that newly-appointed technical director Taurai Mangwiro would soon roll out his development programmes.