Photo Credit: Saint George SA.
Ethiopian giants Saint George board member Dawit Wubeshet admitted the club is working to survive amidst financial challenges.
The 30 times Ethiopian champions have gone through a financial struggle after a rift between senior board members occurred a few years back.
Wubeshet told Ethiopian Reporter that the club faced challenges and it needs time to navigate all of them. “Saint George is the only people’s club in Ethiopia. For the last four years due to an internal division between MIDROC officials the club has been struggling financially. Ever since MIDROC ceased support for the club, we are left with empty hands. We are working to save the team from disbandment.”
A court battle between Saint George chairman Abenet Geberemeskel and MIDROC owner and the club’s patron Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi inflicted a huge damage on the record champions.
The club struggled to keep key players and made headlines with nonpayment of players’ salary. Wubeshet denied reports linking the club failing to pay a three-month salary to its players. “Sometimes things are exaggerated out of proportion. BGI Ethiopia assists us in salary payment and it might get late sometime. But we don’t wait three months to pay our players. That is just not true.”
A group backed by MIDROC has called on the current board to leave office and an elective general assembly be called. The current board echoed through Wubeshet that leaving office is not a problem if the club’s future is guaranteed.
“Me and my comrades are ready to hand over the club to anyone that is capable of administering the club. We all are not above Saint George. We are ready to leave if a competent person comes.”
Saint George are currently fifth in the standings with 29 points. With a limited budget the club persisted in challenging for a title under former player Fasil Tekalegn.
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