FIFA - 2006 Financial Report

[The Ref]

Fifa has published their 2006 Annual Financial Report.

This is the link:

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/2006_fifa_ar_en_1766.pdf

Now if our CSA could do the same, wouldn't that be revealing!

[georg]

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CANADIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION

June 4, 2007 - Neil W. Humphrey, Board Member Richmond Girls Soccer Association

Board of Directors of the Canadian Soccer Association,

http://www.bcsoccerweb.com/articles-letters-2007/letter-humphrey-jun-04.htm

Like many members, I have been following the struggles of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) for sometime now & the media impact it has on Youth & Senior Members alike.

I am greatly concerned that as the largest National Sporting Organization (NSO) in membership in Canada that there are so many problems with the CSA in creating a program for the benefit & development of the Members.

The above is even more concerning when over the past year plus the CSA has been without a Technical Director, National Men's Coach and more importantly a Executive Director/CEO. What goes on at the CSA impacts directly or through the media the enjoyment & development of the Members whether they are youth, senior, professional or national level players.

To date there have been numerous articles in the media about CSA woes as a NSO. Recent articles in the Toronto Star have asked some interesting questions which finally prompted me to write about my concerns:

Where's our women's soccer club?

Governing body accused of abandoning team despite past successes by Randy Starkman -

Canadian women deserve more respect

by Carrie Serwetnyk

My concerns are:

1. Gender Equity spending in our national team soccer programs based upon CSA membership numbers of 43% female - 57% male. Why the Men's National Team program is getting more CSA staff time, funding, sponsorship opportunities & etc seems very out of step based on these membership numbers & the times we live in of gender equality. Spending on NSO programs should be based on the gender equality of membership contributions & nothing else.

Thankfully the Women's National Program have individual's like Greg Kerfoot & the Vancouver Whitecaps who have contributed heavily to support the Women's National Team Program. A program that continues to out perform the men's program although under funded by the CSA. And a program that has given many female youth players soccer opportunities & role models throughout Canada .

2. When are the CSA's current Financials or Financial Reporting available for public distribution? The most recent financials are 2003 on the CSA web site.

I have asked through my Provincial Sporting Organization (PSO) the BC Soccer Association (BCSA) 2 times via cc'ed E-mail's to CSA to obtain up to date financials & gotten no response. Also, I have sent a Email to CSA as well & got no response as well.

As a Member of the CSA I feel having access to the CSA financials on a yearly basis is reasonable as after all my club, my youth district & PSO are required to publish them. Also as a NSO, the CSA is partially funded by Sports Canada & should have timely disclosure & distribution of their financials to the public. I've looked at other NSO's web sites & they do so I don't understand why the CSA does not.

In closing, I appreciate the work as a NSO the CSA does & the success the players have in a large part because of their personal sacrifices & commitments. In moving forward as a NSO, I feel it's time to review via an outside committee whether the needs & expectations of the membership of the CSA are being met on a timely & appropriate basis. I feel this is very important when 85% of the CSA's membership are youth which are the future of the sport & of Canada.

Thank you,

Neil W. Humphrey

Board Member Richmond Girls Soccer Association

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