Introduction
From a humble beginning of reign as FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has demonstrated the potential of revenue generation and investment into football in the world. His commitment to restore the new face of FIFA after the Association came under severe criticism in history of Football in the world is a step on the right direction. Indeed, he has demonstrated his keen interests in protecting the organisation against wrongdoing through transparency and accountability as well as promoting the good initiatives of FIFA.
In his statement in the 2015 Financial Report of FIFA at the 66th FIFA Congress, Mexico City in 12 and 13 May 2016 (page 7), he mentioned that, “FIFA’s healthy financial reserves, built up when the sun was shining as a prudent insurance against unforeseen risks, have served to further stabilize the organisation, and to give us the breathing space we need to put things right “Infantino expressed.
In spite of the promising Financial Statement of FIFA, what has remained questionable in its effort to execute effectively by implementing the budget till 2018, actualizing those initiatives especially the developmental projects for members Association. Many football stakeholders have expressed hope in his administration even though much work still needs to be done to secure him a re-election in 2019.
In his final submission on the 2015 Financial Report of FIFA, he expressed his commitment to helping member Association to fully implement reforms to promote the game of football. “My time in office will be focused on helping our member associations to fully implement the reforms at all levels of the game to ensure we restore full confidence in FIFA among all of our stakeholders “he mentioned.
What many football fans still want to see particularly in Africa is grass root development program which can take the children and youth off the streets and social vices. What most of the programs developed to facilitate the grassroot football development, is not critically achieving that goal in Africa is aligning a strategic plan to guide these policies. FIFA after a going through thoroughly its plans and program, it appears most of the Association in the world particularly in Africa have not fully tapped those initiatives.
Football has been an avenue to tackle a lot of socio-economic challenges affecting most governments in the world particularly developing countries which I will address in succeeding chapters. How can Football Association in Africa aside the focus on only infrastructure development institute feasible reforms following FIFA’s projects in the fiscal year to address the issues surrounding grassroot football development ?
One area FIFA should express keen interest is transparency and accountability of member association. Even though FIFA has clearly caution governments interference in football, the mother body must put in place monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper execution of funds for projects in member association. Also, to encourage Member Association or better still Confederation to provide Status reports and Financial statement to ensure proper accountability of funds. If FIFA is audited what about the member association? Do they make their financial statement available for stakeholders? It should be triggered down to ensure also transparency in the administration of member association is done appropriately.
Now, FIFA detailed budget for 2017 which is based on the four-year budget for 2015-2018 and takes into account the expected distribution of revenue and investments during the four-year period 2015-2018.A total Budget for 2017 of which total investments USD 1,300 million. An area of interest is development and what the youth can take advantage of and not only play or follow the game but to learn, to acquire other relevant skills needed to promote football in country.
USD 393million goes into development which encompass: FAP – member associations, FAP – confederations, FIFA Goal Programme and infrastructure, Technical development programmes (e.g. youth, women, beach soccer, futsal, grassroots), Special projects(solidarity funds & development services), Refereeing Assistance Programme (RAP), Football management programmes – Medicine & science (e.g. Football for Health, doping matters, Medical Conference),Hope Campaign- Education (e.g. CIES, internationalization, ETH support), exploring possibilities in Member associations (e.g. governance, extranet, leagues & clubs)- Other (e.g. international matches, EU matters) .
TO BE CONTINUE….
Join me in my next edition of Inside FIFA today, as I bring to you educational aspect of the game, business related issues surrounding the game, developmental projects especially grass root development, policies and reforms in world football. Let’s promote football in the world.
INSIDE FIFA today: “making football educative, informative and innovative”
By: Emmanuel Hanson/Ghanadailies.com