The Mozambican Football Federation (FMF) issued an official statement in response to the financial crisis affecting the Mozambican national team, the Mambas. The statement was an attempt to clarify the situation and expose the details of the controversy between the FMF and the Mambas players.
According to the statement, the Mambas players surprised the FMF by demanding an additional bonus payment, referred to as "pocket money," related to the national team's training camp in Portugal. This extra payment was a precondition set by the players for continuing training and participating in the friendly match against Nigeria, scheduled for October 16th.
The issue of the players' demands arose after the previous friendly match against Angola, played on October 13th, in which the athletes decided not to participate in the training sessions scheduled for the following days. They demanded an additional payment of $600 in "pocket money" on top of the $600 already received. The lack of this additional payment could jeopardize the match against Nigeria.
The FMF argued that the prize money terms, according to the regulations in force, were duly explained to the players before the start of the training camp in Algarve, Portugal. The Federation highlighted that the advance payment of "pocket money" is part of a common international practice in various football federations when it comes to friendly preparation matches.
The FMF expressed its concern about the recurrence of this type of situation in the national team and stated that it will do everything possible to raise awareness among the players and find a solution that serves the national interest. However, if no agreement is reached, the FMF reserves the right to cancel the remainder of the training camp and ask the athletes to return to their clubs.
Furthermore, the FMF executive board announced that it will meet in due course to take appropriate measures to hold accountable those involved in such recurring situations within the Mambas national team.
This official statement from the FMF highlights the need for transparent financial management and effective communication between the parties involved in Mozambican football, reinforcing the importance of resolving this crisis for the benefit of all stakeholders in the sport.
