CIMB invests in future of Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi

SINGAPORE — The goal of Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi, sons of retired Singapore legend Fandi Ahmad, of becoming professional footballers has received a lift from CIMB.

Yesterday, the leading Malaysian bank announced a year-long sponsorship worth a “six-figure” for the teenagers’ education and football training at Universidad Catolica, a first-division club in Santiago, Chile.

The partnership, reached after six months of negotiations, starts today and will be reviewed once it expires.

Although the deal raised questions why a Singaporean bank did not come in to support Irfan, 17, and Ikhsan, 15 — the forwards are regarded as two of Singapore’s best young footballing talents and potential future national players — Fandi was not perturbed.

“I am glad and thankful CIMB have come forward. It does not matter if the funding is from Singapore or not,” said Fandi, 52, now head coach of Singaporean club side LionsXII, which won the Malaysian Super League last year.

“When an athlete needs support, one should provide for them, but I do hope this sponsorship will be an eye-opener for more Singapore companies to come forward.”

CIMB Group Singapore country manager and CIMB Bank Singapore chief executive officer Mak Lye Mun declined to reveal how much exactly the one-year sponsorship is worth.

He said: “We don’t want a situation whereby smaller institutions get discouraged by sponsorships of large denominations.”

Responding to queries on why the sponsorship of two of Singapore’s brightest young talents did not come from a Singaporean bank, Mak said CIMB considers itself a regional bank. “We (CIMB) operate in Singapore, (so) we should put something back into the community we do business in, and sports is something that we believe in and which we feel is the best use to utilise our pot of sponsorship funds. It does not matter whether the funding is from a Singapore company or not.”

Fandi admitted that securing the sponsorship had been a “tough and difficult” journey to make sure his boys’ dreams are looked after.

“I spent about three to five years looking for sponsors. Personally, I spent nearly S$6,000 a month to send them abroad for football and their education,” said Fandi, who had a two-year spell with Dutch side Groningen in the 1980s. “The sponsorship from CIMB has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.”

Irfan and Ikhsan left the Singapore Sports School last October to join the youth academy of Chilean second division side AC Banerchea. They later moved to Chilean rivals Universidad Catolica, citing the Santiago-based first division side’s tougher training structure as beneficial for their football development.

“This sponsorship can help our studies and football, and bring us further,” said Irfan.

Ikhsan added: “It also gives us the exposure and experience to become better footballers, while not forgetting our studies. And training in Catolica is more intense, so the move is good for us.”