15 Aug 2019

Slovenský Futbalový Zväz(SFZ) general secretary is confident that the senior women national football team is like a well-oiled machine following a two-week training camp in Slovakia.

He said in interview that they gave the team all the necessary  support to prepare for their Olympic qualifier against Banyana Banyana of South Africa.

Kliment said they had a good working relationship with Botswana Football Association (BFA) and they were assisting the association through the UEFA Assist Project.

UEFA member associations are encouraged and supported if they decide to establish and develop their own programmes and activities outside Europe, hence SFZ chose BFA as a partner.

The two associations had signed a memorandum of mutual cooperation. 

According to Kliment, they had long wanted to assist a federation outside Europe, adding that they chose Botswana after learning the BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti was ambitious in the development of football.

He said they then met a Botswana delegation at Moscow FIFA congress last year where they defined an action plan.

“The training camp was last in our action plan, but because we both realised the need to prepare for a big game, we felt we had to give it priority,” he said.

He said the two associations would now evaluate the training camp, and map a way forward, as to which areas the BFA needed to be assisted.

Kliment said the training camp had not covered most of their budget, therefore the two associations would discuss how to utilise the remaining amount.

“Remember, through the UEFA Assist project, UEFA has sent money through the SFZ to the BFA, which was used to build change rooms and ablution blocks at the technical centre,” he said.

In addition to that, he said they gave BFA some equipment, which would help in the development of football.

Also, he said BFA representatives visited Slovakia in November, while SFZ delegation visited Botswana in April this year.

“The basis of the cooperation of the two associations within the assist project was firstly the financial support that UEFA transfers to the treasuries of specific non-European associations through the registered European unions, and last but not least. The project also covers the cooperation of individual football development projects in various areas,” he said. Ends