A former soccer coach in Moldova says he has seen an increasing number of former players turning to the sport of soccer for a new lease of life and a new identity.
Svetlana Kondrau says he believes former players in Moldovas team have been turned off by the countrys football federation and the governments failure to tackle corruption in football.
Moldova has not had any football clubs since 2011.
The country’s soccer federation, Nati, has been accused of covering up corruption and of failing to deliver the results the players wanted.
The governing party has been embroiled in a corruption scandal involving former President Igor Dodon.
Last week, former players turned to the internet for help with their futures, but most have been told to return home.
The head of the Moldovan Football Association, Andrei Zagov, told the BBC the football federation had received more than 1,000 phone calls.
“I don’t think the players will be coming back.
It will be impossible,” he said.
But the sport’s main sponsor, Moldovan state-owned gas company Sibos, says it has not received any complaints from former players about the football team.
“We don’t know anything about the players’ opinions,” Sibov spokesman Ivo Nica said.MOLDOVA’S MOST IMPORTANT SPORTSMEN AND GIRLS