FIFA Gives CSA 300K Will Dr. Dom use if for the Women's National Team ?

[Trillium]

Additional financial assistance for football development (FIFA.com) Friday 28 January 2011

Print Email my friend Share

Each of the 207* FIFA member associations will this year receive a further one-off bonus payment of USD 300,000 from world football’s governing body as part of FIFA’s Financial Assistance Programme (FAP). For the six confederations, this bonus will amount to USD 2.5 million each.

This decision by the FIFA Executive Committee has been made possible thanks to the outstanding success of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, which led to a very good financial result for FIFA for the entire 2007-2010 period.

The funds are to be invested first and foremost in the development of football and to enable FIFA member associations to take part in FIFA competitions. They are to be used in accordance with the FAP Regulations: (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/finassprogr/50/16/69/fap_regulations_en_de_fr_es_022009.pdf). Member associations can also use this bonus as additional funding for existing or future Goal projects.

Last year, as announced at the FIFA Congress, each member association also received a one-off FAP bonus payment of USD 250,000 while each confederation received USD 2.5 million thanks to the financial success of the year 2010.

About the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP):

The FAP is designed to motivate and empower the associations and confederations to organise development programmes that meet their needs and strengthen football and its administration in the long term. It has served member associations in a variety of ways according to their needs, including help with infrastructure, grassroots football, organisation of youth tournaments, development of women’s football and technical development since 1998. FAP funds, including bonus payments, are audited annually (see art. 5 of the FAP Regulations).

For more information on the FAP, see the link on the right.

* the FA of Brunei Darussalam is currently suspended

[Trillium]

One has to hope the CSA will use some of the money to market the WNT and have a significant presence in Berlin and the other World Cup venues.

Will the CSA organize a group section for Canadian supporters instead of having Canadian fans spread throughout the stadia in Berlin ?

Willl the CSA marketing guru and special events manager ensure we have a giant Canadian flag to be unvieled in the Canada section at game start during the National Anthem ?

Will the CSA work with supporters groups to have a giant TIFO prepared and banners hung in the stadia so our players know there is a fan presence ?

This money should go to such things and to increased individual funding of National Team members on the way to Berlin and in 2012 in London.

How would you ask the CSA to direct the money ?

[grigorio]

One has to hope the CSA will use some of the money to market the WNT and have a significant presence in Berlin and the other World Cup venues.

Will the CSA organize a group section for Canadian supporters instead of having Canadian fans spread throughout the stadia in Berlin ?

Willl the CSA marketing guru and special events manager ensure we have a giant Canadian flag to be unvieled in the Canada section at game start during the National Anthem ?

Will the CSA work with supporters groups to have a giant TIFO prepared and banners hung in the stadia so our players know there is a fan presence ?

This money should go to such things and to increased individual funding of National Team members on the way to Berlin and in 2012 in London.

How would you ask the CSA to direct the money ?

Will there even be any Canadian fans in Germany?

[CoachRich]

Very doubtful and I"m not holding my breathe on this one. The CSA pocketed about $200-300K appearance fee/cash rewards for the WNT winning the CONCACAF. Players didn't get anything yet but the CSA office hired 3-4 more office people.

[Soju]

So how can we the fans ensure they don't spend this money on bullsh1t?

[Vic]

It's a bit of a complicated issue. The women's program did earn the money and there should be some form of direct compensation plan to motivate them similar to what a few other countries offer. Money is a big carrot. But on the other hand with their preparation schedule they are likely burning through money at a rate rarely seen in Canadian soccer. I would imagine the CSA simply see's it as paying part of their tab.

If I understand correctly it's all a bit of a mess right now with the CSA budget, the team's schedule & time commitments, and the players personal bank accounts all in different area codes and all locked down and not budging. Women's soccer is basically nunnery anyway, but amplifying it with increased long-term time commitments and no increase to funding isn't a healthy combination and sooner or later something has to give.

One thing that would definitely help (if it doesn't exist already) is a formal agreement between the players and the team staff and CSA that covers things like acceptable time commitments and compensation for anything over that. Playing for a national team should be about talent and nothing else (i.e. not a players ability to commit time and money).

More than anything the CSA needs to get off the funding train and become more self-sufficient. I don't remember all the hires but I think one was sponsorship and one communication, both of which contribute to awareness and revenue and move them in the right direction.

[a_coach_in_ab]

Last year, as announced at the FIFA Congress, each member association also received a one-off FAP bonus payment of USD 250,000 while each confederation received USD 2.5 million thanks to the financial success of the year 2010.

Any ideas what last years monies were used for?

[CoachRich]

Vic, really good points here - "One thing that would definitely help (if it doesn't exist already) is a formal agreement between the players and the team staff and CSA that covers things like acceptable time commitments and compensation for anything over that. Playing for a national team should be about talent and nothing else (i.e. not a players ability to commit time and money). "

As a long time advocate of a CBA for out NT's, something the US NT's have on 5 years cycles, there are other points in them besides money. How many of our players have proper accident coverage/insurance that goes beyond hospital care ie: a women's pro or women's player with a NCAA scholarship. What coverage do they get if their NT injury impacts or ceases their capabilities to play pro or NCAA ball or worse? What cross agreements are in place with women's pro and the CSA to insure Pro's are able to keep their contracts and their little income? Why is it that the majority of our WNT still live at home or can't commit to anything besides WNT? Yep, the WNT families are major funding of the WNT and have been since day one.

US WNT CBA -

http://www.cansoc.org/showthread.php?41099-US-WNT-CBA-current-until-2012

http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2006/women/jan04.htm

[Vic]

The big case this year was Arjen Robben who went out in the World Cup and his club's chairman is seeking compensation from the KNVB. Another is West Ham this week who are seeking the same from the English FA for an injury Dean Ashton got in 2006 playing for England. It's a more interesting case because he was injured in 2006 and tried for years to comeback before packing it in during 2009. A representative of the club puts it succinctly:

It can't be morally right that a player gets his ankle smashed to bits playing for England, he battles away trying to recover for two years, but finally accepts that the problem will reoccur forever, has to retire and his club, who had released him to play for England, get nothing from the FA, not even the £2.5 million compensation they paid the player.

UEFA is in talks with clubs and federations over blanket coverage for all international tournaments and friendlies but FIFA isn't interested.

There are some great people doing wonderful things for women's soccer in Canada. But we really need a proper women's committee of intelligent diligent people dedicated to making sure all parties (the association, the coaching staff, the players, the development system, etc) are equitably treated and optimally run.

[Trillium]

So how can we the fans ensure they don't spend this money on bullsh1t?

Write a letter to sports minister Gary Lunn, or write a letter to Peter Montopoli at the CSA ask Peter what he intends to do with the money as CEO of the CSA. Write to the Minister of sport asking what he is doing to ensure a presence in Berlin....if you dont write you wont build up pressure.

Remember no one thought the Berlin Wall woud fall.. it did.

[Trillium]

Any ideas what last years monies were used for?

There is no project based accounting going on and no public dispersal of such accounting if it were.

Suffice to say ... lots of folks from CSA were in South Africa for the full World Cup ...many not on FIFA dime but on CSA dime... because we are bidding for 2015 WWC and the folks in blazers needed to be in the hospitality suites to politic.