World Football Governing body, Fifa has set the deadline for Isonga Football Club to check out of the Rwanda Football Federation, (Ferwafa) premises.
In statement, FIFA said the team has to leave the Football house before June 30. Isonga were relegated to second division after finishing bottom of the league table, and the club plans to release all the players.
According to a source in Ferwafa, FIFA sent the letter early last week indicating that the team leaves the premises and find its base somewhere else.
“But we have asked for support from the ministry of Sports and Culture because the team is their initiative, so they will let us know where to relocate. Isonga belongs to the government, it’s them to find a new home for the team,” the source, who didn’t want to be named, told Times Sport.
According to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Sports and Culture, Edward Kalisa, “Isonga will remain as Isonga and the idea is to bring through young players and train them for the future.”
“The plan will remain the same for this team, to continue to give chance to young players, who are the future of the country,” he added.
Isonga FC was founded two years ago as a composition of players, who played in the U-17 African Youth Championship and the Fifa World Cup. The team was promoted to the U-20 level and registered to play in the national league without going through the second division.
In the debut season in the Primus National Football League, they finished in a respectable sixth position but things didn’t go well as Isonga finished in last position with just 15 points from 26 matches.
In the first season, the team reportedly used a budget of Rwf63m, which was increased to Rwf116m for the relegation campaign.
However, the bulk of players, who played together for about three years, have been released to join other clubs, and the new-look Isonga team for this season will be made up of players from the current U-17 team.
The biggest percentage of the money goes into paying school fees for the players, playing equipment, food and other things related requirements players need since they are not paid monthly salary.
Source:New Times.
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