The United Kingdom government has received strong criticism for its aid being used to fund the training of soccer referees and coaches across China, even as spending cuts are predicted to lead to thousands of deaths this year across Africa and in Yemen.
An official watchdog and aid organizations are demanding to know why the Premier Skills programme — run by England’s Premier League, to “engage and inspire” young people in China — is part-funded by official development assistance, or ODA.
Almost £180,000 ($230,000) of aid will be spent on the grassroots project over three years from 2021 to 2024, Devex has discovered, a figure that is rising annually to £86,071 in this financial year.
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About the author
Rob Merrick
Rob Merrick is the U.K. Correspondent for Devex, covering FCDO and British aid. He reported on all the key events in British politics of the past 25 years from Westminster, including the financial crash, the Brexit fallout, the "Partygate" scandal, and the departures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Rob has worked for The Independent and the Press Association and is a regular commentator on TV and radio. He can be reached at rob.merrick@devex.com.
