THE secretary general of the Namibia Football Association, Franco Cosmos, yesterday clarified some issues pertaining to their expenses for the Brave Gladiators' recent trips to Zambia and South Africa for African Cup of Nations qualifying matches.
Cosmos said he was concerned about correspondence between himself and Fifa which had been circulated on social media, and had created 'a lot of confusion and discussion in football, sport and media circles.'
Cosmos said that the NFA had not received US$200 000 as had been alleged, but US$100 000 (about N$1,5 million) for both matches, about a week before the Brave Gladiators departed for Johannesburg.
Cosmos gave a breakdown of their expenses for the trips, saying that the return flights to South Africa and Zambia had amounted to N$560 934, while accommodation in Zambia amounted to N$141 055.
The cost for the Brave Gladiators in South Africa, excluding team allowances, amounted to N$800 000, their tracksuits and kit expenses amounted to N$97 462; 'other logistics' amounted to N$288 627; and the Brave Gladiators' allowances in Lusaka amounted to N$307 500.
Cosmos said the total expenditure amounted to N$2 195 579,34.
"This means that the NFA accrued a deficit of almost N$700 000. However, when we pay the same N$307 500 to the team for allowances for the South Africa match, the NFA's deficit will balloon to N$1 million," he said.
Cosmos admitted that the Brave Gladiators had not received appearance fees owed to them previously and that they only received payment for the away game against Zambia in Lusaka, saying that the NFA does not have funds to pay them now.
"The NFA never said directly or indirectly that it will not pay our national team players. As soon as we get money to honour historical debt, we will do so. We cannot be forced into situations to receive money through dubious and corrupt deals to settle our debt," he said.
"We have other service providers whom the NFA also owes money, but we are working beyond the call of duty to find ways to generate our own revenue to settle our debt," he added.
Artmotion S.Africa
