Car sharing and parental help ease fuel-price strain on amateur clubs | OneFootball

Fuel prices have yet to bite hard in French amateur football, as car sharing and family help keep teams moving. Clubs warn it could become difficult if the surge lasts or climbs further, linked to the conflict in Iran since late February.

According to L'Équipe, issue is less acute than in 2022, when shortages hit many regions. In Loudéac, president Jacky Duault says it is not a daily concern.

He accepts there is an extra cost for the club of 428 members, but says they are absorbing it. Parents have mobilised and car sharing eases the burden.

At Étoile Fréjus Saint-Raphaël, parents handle trips for the youngest teams. Minibus use adds cost for older groups, though not enough to cancel travel.

In Indre-et-Loire, two clubs have flagged possible transport problems for Regional fixtures, said district president Christophe Brossard. The topic is due on the board agenda in mid-April.

Some call for grouped fixtures to cut mileage. Paris 13 Atletico president Frédéric Pereira says trips are being pooled and returns limited, notes a sharp rise in coach hire for the National side, and admits logistics alone cannot offset travel.

In 2022, the federation handed out fuel vouchers worth two million euros to several thousand clubs with youth players, between 100 and 700 euros per club. The Amateur Football League has made proposals to FFF president Philippe Diallo. Tax relief exists if volunteers waive reimbursements and declare them, but it only helps income-tax payers and needs rigorous record-keeping from stretched associations.

Source: L'Équipe