IN A MAJOR shift in emphasis, the Barbados Football Association (BFA) spent more than a quarter-million dollars on women’s football last year but only $1 500 on the national senior men’s team programme.
This was revealed in the BFA’s audited financial statements for the year ending June 30, which were circulated to club delegates at last Sunday’s annual general meeting.
The statements, which showed BFA’s assets at $1 727 940, inclusive of $228 028 in cash at the bank, were audited by Brian F. Griffith and Co. Chartered Accountants.
In its assessment of the statements, the auditors reported that they “present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the BFA . . . and its financial performance and its cash flow for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards”.
Out of the BFA’s overall expenditure of $935 574 during the past year, $277 356 was disbursed on the women’s programme. Another $430 100 was spent on football administration and $226 618 on general administration, with rent for its Richmond, Welches, St Michael, office accounting for $40 600.
In the breakdown of expenses, $94 343 went towards the purchase of equipment and gear; $59 290 on accommodation and meals; $56 878 on international travel and a hefty sum of $20 366 on medical expenses.
The allowances for players and the team’s management amounted to $25 325.
The women’s under-20 team played in a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Cup qualifier in Surinam, while the senior women’s squad played in an international tournament for the first time.
Barbados also successfully hosted the CONCACAF Gold Cup Group E women’s qualifier before travelling to Trinidad and Tobago where they failed to get past the second stage of qualification.
Even though acknowledging that Barbados is not well known internationally for football, the report on women’s football which was delivered at the annual general meeting said “the growing interest in the game during the new millennium has been spectacular”.
On the other hand, the national men’s team, which is leaving for St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday to play in the Digicel Caribbean Cup, did not play a single international match as, according to the executive Council’s report, “finances restricted the playing of friendly internationals”.
In the BFA’s Executive Council report, which was jointly signed by president Ronald Jones and senior assistant secretary Charles Husbands, it was clearly stated that “efforts have to continue to spread the game among females in the island”.
“Existing clubs have to pay a greater attention to the development of women’s teams from their respective areas,” the report said.
During the period under review, the BFA, which received a total of $456 240 in grants from FIFA, the world governing body for the sport, made a profit of $28 493.
Prize money of $123 795 was paid out to the clubs in all four of the BFA’s divisions, while another $39 800 went to the Barbados Football Referees Association and $31 650 to the Barbados Red Cross Society for medical services.
With several matches during the last season played at open grounds, the BFA’s gate receipts significantly dropped from $118 722 in 2009 to $86 469.
