KARACHI, July 27: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has cleared the accounts audit test, the rot still eats into the management of sport because of mismanagement.
The PFF, which now has $750,000 in its kitty, has been receiving $250,000 annually from FIFA, and is due to add the last tranche later this year. FIFA’s generosity continues as it selects Pakistan for $450,000 Goal Project last year.
Despite FIFA grants that made PFF the richest sports body after Pakistan Cricket Board, dismal scenario forced the sports ministry to probe through Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) the PFF accounts last month.
The PSB gave all clear signal after analyzing the accounts which were already audited by a PFF-appointed local chartered accountant. The PSB’s endeavour, however, should be commended, although the exercise remained futile.
The PFF claims it sends the audited accounts reports to FIFA and the PSB, although the latter has no authority to check the accounts record.
FIFA too has strange procedure of ascertaining its funds are not being misused. The world governing body feels satisfied on reports sent by PFF, while it should have appointed its own chartered accountant to make the process transparent.
Sports do not flourish by stuffing federations’ vaults with foreign or domestic grants. Only meticulous planning, management of the affairs, and proper utilisation of money, could put any game back on track.
So far, Pakistan football lags behind the countries which are on FIFA’s FAP and Goal Project list. For instance, Sri Lanka, an FAP beneficiary, has an excellent structure including a beautiful Football House in Colombo.
Pakistan, chosen last year for the Goal, should have launched the programme some three months ago, is yet to kick off the project. Although PFF is being provided grants since 1999, the top officials have little or no time for the game.
FIFA gives $ one million as part of FAP to all its 204 affiliated national associations after a draw. The money can be used for building headquarters and training fields, to develop youth football, and travelling cost of the national teams etc.
A study shows PFF has hardly used FIFA money on any of the above mentioned projects. One cannot find a single stadium developed by PFF. Even the previous national championship was organized in Quetta on a surface more suitable for kabbadi.
If one analyzes three-year development, it is only the senior side which was emphasised, while youth football, which should have been the preference, is neglected.
Pakistan skipped the Under-14 Asian championship despite an invitation from hosts Bangladesh as PFF doesn’t have an Under-14 squad. And that too despite having services of Asian Football Confederation-paid coach, John Layton, also the director youth development AFC.
Layton’s three-year contract ends in December, but all the PFF asked him is to hold training camps. At the moment Pakistan doesn’t have a pool of Under-14 and Under-16 players, what to talk of having the squads.
The strenuous activity at Under-14 and Under-16 levels, including tournaments, should have been initiated a long time ago alongwith the training camps to produce quality footballers for the senior side.
Much time and energy was wasted on aging seniors who lost both friendlies to the local English clubs last year, and were defeated by Sri Lankan Under-20 side during Pearl Island’s trip few months ago.
Nevertheless, FIFA’s role has always been strange. The ruling body which gives huge grants never reprimands federations on mismanagement. But it does not hesitate to suspend the federations when governments intervene to check mismanagement.