Rayon Sports is currently facing significant financial challenges, including two months of unpaid salaries and signing bonuses that players were promised but never received. These problems have been made worse by the early departure of some of the club’s management before their terms officially ended.
According to IGIHE, Rayon Sports owes around 86 million Rwandan Francs (Frw) to players they signed and those who renewed their contracts. The club is also behind on paying salaries for August and September, with September coming to an end.
Initially, the club planned to raise the money during their match against Azam FC on Rayon Day. However, this game was moved from Amahoro Stadium, and instead of the 200 million Frw they expected, the team only managed to raise 72 million Frw.
The club told players to be patient and wait until after the APR FC match, which was originally scheduled for September 14th. However, this match was postponed because APR FC was still playing in the second round of the CAF Champions League qualifiers.
A source from Rayon Sports told IGIHE that their only hope for raising the needed funds is the upcoming match against APR FC, now scheduled for October 19, 2024.
He said, “I won’t hide it; the APR FC match is what we are counting on to solve the financial problems the team is facing.”
“There are people helping the team survive day by day, but it’s difficult for them to raise the 100 million Frw needed to at least pay off our debts.”
It is still uncertain whether the APR FC and Rayon Sports match will take place on October 19th, as sources from FERWAFA suggest that the national team coach may keep the players after the Benin match on October 15th to prepare for the CHAN 2024 qualifier on October 26th.
The national team, Amavubi, has not yet confirmed its opponent, but if they have to play outside Rwanda, it could be hard to have the APR FC and Rayon Sports match that same weekend, as the team would need to travel within three days.
Meanwhile, Rayon Sports is preparing for its upcoming game against Rutsiro FC on Saturday. Reports indicate that former club leaders and the Special Team group have raised around 5 million Frw to help with preparations for this match.
