Beach Soccer team laments exclusion from FIFA palliative

Members of the Super Sand Eagles, the Beach Soccer national team, have lamented the team’s exclusion from the list of beneficiaries of the COVID-19 relief funds, The Punch reports.

The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday released a list of how it shared $2m across national teams, the men and women’s leagues, coaches association, supporters and sports writers, amongst others.

According to a statement from the Communications Department of the NFF, the total sum is made up of $1m from FIFA’s support for restarting the football season, $500,000, the world body’s support for women’s football; $300,000, CAF’s support to its members and $200,000, the NFF’s support from sponsors funds.

According to the NFF’s list, women’s football will get $500,000, while men’s football will receive $1.5m, but there is no allocation for the Super Sand Eagles.

A coach of the team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We’ve been owed allowances for several years now and it’s unfair the Beach Soccer team is not included on the list.”

“It’s devastating that we didn’t get a share from the FIFA money despite being owed allowances from Beach Soccer World Cups organised by FIFA,” a top star of the team lamented.

When The Punch asked the NFF’s Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire, if the Sand Eagles were listed under the men’s senior team, he replied via a short message, saying, “Well, I don’t think they are on the list. The table is clear as approved by the Board.”

The Ghana FA, which had earlier announced the sharing of their funds, also didn’t add their Beach Soccer team but allotted $15,000 to the country’s Beach Soccer League, while the Sierra Leone FA gave $5,000 to their Beach Soccer teams, listed under National Teams.