LeFA allocates FIFA Relief Fund
The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has unveiled the breakdown of the financial assistance that will be distributed to all their registered clubs from the M8,660,000 million ($500,000) Relief fund from FIFA.
LeFA Secretary General Mokhosi Mohapi told a press conference on Monday that they have already received M8,660,000 million as the first installment of the Relief Fund and the second part of it will come in January.
He announced that fourteen(14) Premier League clubs will share M1,120,000 with each club pocketing M80 000 while the A Division clubs (20) will share M800 000 and each team will get M40 000.
Meanwhile, clubs from the B Division (458) will be sharing M4,580,000 with each team getting M10 000 while those in the C Division will each be getting M6 000 from the total of M1,086,000 that will be shared by 181 teams.
The Secretary General also announced that M395 000 will be shared among the LeFA structures such as referees department, LISA, LEPSA, PLMC and ADMACO while 679 000 of the money will go towards medical equipment ahead of return to football for the 2020/2021 season. 
“FIFA in June resolved to make available relief funding to all it’s 211 Members and for today we have invited you to talk about how we are going to allocate this first installment of the money, which we received last week and for your information is M8,660,000,” LeFA Secretary General said.
“You will all know that FIFA has regulated the use of the Relief Fund and has set some criteria in which all its members will operate within. LeFA in the same way has the regulations that governs the financial assistance that will be going to the clubs.
“I should also make it clear that on Sunday we had a meeting with the Presidents of the Districts Football Associations (DIFAS), the Premier League Management Committee and A Division Management Committee to also explain these regulations as the bodies that are overseeing the elite leagues in the country. We still have other structures like women football and I should make it clear that they are not included in this package as we have explained that FIFA has an allocation of funding specifically for women football.”
Speaking at the same event, LeFA President Advocate Salemane Phafane (KC), said it was important for the football governing body to invest part of the funds on medical equipment as they find ways to return to football ahead of the 2020/2021 season.
“FIFA President Gianni Infantino has made it clear that this Relief Fund should be used towards making the return to football safe in a way that it will minimize the causalities of the Corona Virus,” LeFA President stated.
“That means there has to be a lot investment on medical equipment and also assist the clubs administratively to continue operating, but most importantly invest in the safety of players for football to keep rolling.
“It means we have to now as football have our own testing equipment. We have to have a huge capital layout that will help us return to football without depending on the government’s facilities,” he said.
The LeFA boss further stated that the association will come very hard on clubs that will fail to account for this funding.
“I need to reiterate the words of President Infantino that this funding is not a donation. We as LeFA must account to the very last cent of this money. They have given us regulations that govern the funding and it will also mandatory for each team and member of LeFA to account for this money to the satisfactory of the association’s accounts department,” he adds.
“There is also money for women football and it’s a separate funding altogether and we have tasked the office of the technical director to help us with the breakdown and make a recommendation that will help us share it with all the structures.
“Covid-19 is not going away; it is going to live with us at least two years, it could be more and we have to device the means to live with it while football is also playing. Life and football will never be the same and it will take time before spectators come back, the way we see it.” 
