PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – For Trinidad and Tobago Football Association general secretary, Ramesh Ramdhan, FIFA’s million dollar subsidy cannot come soon enough for ailing TTFA workers who have not been paid in two months.
The last time workers were paid it was from borrowed monies at the end of the February but since then staff have had to endure financial strain amidst the controversy that has since consumed the TTFA in its dispute with football’s world governing body.
“I will like the staff to be paid. The technical staff as well,” Ramdhan told the Express newspaper here.
“I went out of my way to pay the staff [at the end of February] because I understand the need for money to help their families. I also wrote the technical staff a letter to be a little more patient until our funding came through.”
FIFA is expected to disburse up to US$1.25 million over the coming week as part of a $150 million COVID-19 relief package being distributed among 211 associations.
Also, the second installment of operational costs for this year which was scheduled to be disbursed in July, will be released immediately.
“The pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for the entire football community and, as the world governing body, it is FIFA’s duty to be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress.”
He added: “They (FIFA) did indicate they will send all the money. Normally, we would receive it in two disbursements – one in January and one in July.
“FIFA’s decision is to send the entire thing because they appreciated that without football being played, there will be no income from gates from football; match fees from friendly internationals. They appreciate that we would need money to keep going in these serious times.”
But the TTFA is involved in a nasty public spat with FIFA after the world governing body swooped down last month to oust the newly-elected executive and install a “normalisation committee” to run the organisation’s affairs.
The William Wallace-led executive has since pushed back against FIFA’s move, taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, while maintaining their standing as the duly elected leaders of the TTFA.
And last week, another dispute erupted after lawyers representing the ousted TTFA executive challenged First Citizens Banks over the alleged changing of signatories on the organisation’s bank accounts.
And Ramdhan hopes the wrangling does not block the arrival of the much needed funds.
“All I can say is, if we can’t use the accounts then we can’t get the money, and then plan B should be an alternative account,” said Ramdhan
“Especially in the interest of the staff at this time because the staff will be the biggest commitment we have, apart from debt.”
