Revenue from group-controlled futsal fields to be diverted to Sports Fund

Sports Minister Abdulla Rifau told the Parliament’s Social Affairs Committee on Tuesday that the government is working on diverting the revenue generated from the futsal fields issued to various groups in Male’ to the Sports Fund.

Rifau, who attended a meeting with the Social Affairs Committee on Tuesday, made the remark in response to a question by West Maafannu MP Mohamed Mustafa Ibrahim.

At the meeting, Mustafa expressed concern that many of the futsal fields in Male’ have been issued to various groups. He questioned why the revenue from the futsal fields are going to the groups instead of the football clubs, which he stressed were in desperate need for revenue.

Rifau responded that issue is of deep concern to the Sports Ministry as well. He said that the futsal fields were not issued under a specific policy, with some fields found to have been issued via mere letters.

“These are fields that we inherited without any specific policies from the previous administration. Some of these fields were issued through simple letters. Some of these fields were issued under certain understandings. I could not find any consistency in this,” he said.

Rifau said the cabinet recently made the decision to have revenue from the futsal fields diverted to the Sports Fund.

The Sports Fund is a new fund that will be established under a bill to amend the Sports Act – which is currently being reviewed by the Parliament.

Rifau said that the change will be beneficial to the people who use the futsal fields as well as the larger sporting community.

But he also acknowledged that it will be a difficult change to implement.

“We are looking to reach a common agreement where they and other parties can use the fields, and the revenue from these places can go to the fund for the development of sports,” he said.

“I hope to reach an understanding with the parties that operate these places through talks. And to put it in paper, like with an agreement. We are doing this work now.”