Courtesy: The AFC.com


Timely fillip for AID-27

Monday, 28 March 2011

Ho Chi Minh City: A purposeful AID-27 workshop saw the representatives of 28 AFC Member Associations deliberate ways and means to further increase the efficacy of AFC’s developmental grant programme here on Monday.

AID-27 was started in 1996 by AFC to provide financial assistance to the Member Associations towards developmental expenses, and over the years its membership has increased from 27 to 29 associations, while the corpus now stands at US$ 200,000 per year for each Member Association as compared to the US$72,000 when it was started.

The workshop was opened by AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam in the presence of AFC Vice-President Yousef Al Serkal and FIFA Executive Committee member Manilal Fernando.

“This programme was started in 1996 when I was the chairman of the AFC Finance Committee in AFC to help and support the needy Member Associations,” recalled Bin Hammam. “In fact AFC started it before FIFA started its Financial Assistance Programme.”

The AFC President called upon the participants of the workshop to put the fund to good use.

“Today we have reached a stage where each Member Association will get US$ 200,000 per year,” said Bin Hammam.

“This wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the solidarity in AFC, where the bigger Member Associations forsook their share of the AID-27 funds. So I request you to discuss and propose a mechanism as well as a transparent monitoring procedure by which this fund can be better utilised.”

AID-27’s objectives have now expanded to include the development of grassroots and youth level football, women’s football and futsal by ensuring that more qualified coaches are employed, by enhancing education, assisting in the employment of administrative staff, and increasing the participation of national teams at AFC youth competitions through payment of subsidies for international air travel.

The participants brainstormed on the best methods to deploy the US$200,000 grant, the procedures that needed to be observed and the monitoring of funds to maintain total transparency.

Guam FA President and AFC Executive Committee member Richard Lai said: “This workshop gives us a chance to lend our voice and opinions about AID-27. I thank the AFC President for organising this workshop. Getting 10 per cent of the AFC budget for a programme like this is not easy but he has accomplished this.’

In his closing remarks, the AFC chief stressed on the importance of proper utilization of the fund.

“The competition among our MAs to change and develop their game is great. I believe the movement within Asia is now different than the year when we started this fund. But we need the minimum criteria to ensure transparency, efficient use of the funds and best practices,” said Bin Hammam.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com