Former Bermuda Football Association (BFA) president Larry Mussenden has appealed to Government to reconsider its decision to slash the sport’s budget by 50 percent.

Mussenden described the huge reduction as a serious setback for the development of Bermudian football and has urged the BFA to fight for its funding to be restored.

Largely credited for securing the $15 million five-year grant from Government in 2007, Mussenden also believes the size of the cut-back is inconsistent in comparison with other deductions Government have made during the current financial climate.

“I’m disappointed that the grant has been cut by half by Government at this early stage of the Strategic Plan,” said Mussenden, who served for seven years as BFA president.

“I appeal to Government and the Minister of Sport to reconsider its decision and restore the funding to its full value, or at least in line with Government’s cut-back rate of 10 percent.

“I also suggest that the BFA appeal to the Minister to reconsider the cut-back. I know the BFA have said it is grateful that its funding has only been cut by half, but I would have been banging on the Minister’s door to fight for it to be restored.

“I know there’s definitely room for reconsideration and this is not the time to be reducing football’s funding – it plays such an important role in the community.”

Last week Government informed the BFA that its annual grant allocation had been reduced from $3 million to $1.5 million as part of a recession-busting budget, prompting David Sabir, BFA general secretary, to acknowledge that a begging bowl would have to be sent around the Island.

Mussenden agrees that the reviewed budget will not be enough to finance the BFA’s ambitious long-term Strategic Plan, which he fears may now be downsized to a detrimental effect.

“The development of football on the Island can’t be continued at 50 percent of the funding that the BFA had planned for. Anything less than $2.5 million will not be enough to see the long-term development plan through.

“Much of that money will go on salaries and it’s no good appointing the right people if you can’t put the various programmes in place. This is a serious setback for the BFA. Much consideration was taken by Government to commit to giving the grant and I wonder if the same consideration has been given in taking half of it away.”

Mussenden, who still sits on FIFA’s appeals committee, stressed that the support Government had given the BFA in recent years was the envy of many of the Caribbean Islands.

And he insisted that Government had contributed greatly to the current feel-good factor engulfing the national programme.

“I was part of the team that put forward the Strategic Plan to Government to secure the funding and although the administration has changed I believe the plan still has the same core values,” Mussenden said.

“I’m not trying the criticise Government as it has been very supportive of football in recent years. Government played a huge part in enabling the BFA to secure the land for the training field at Gym Field, where the new national academy will be based, and its funding has allowed the BFA to make the correct appointments and gain credibility.

“Across the Caribbean, and beyond, I know other countries are envious of the good relationship our Government has with the football association.”