WaterAid 'still not received money' from Saido Berahino charity bash
An investigation into ex-Albion striker Saido Berahino’s charity launch night has failed to establish if any money was raised for charity, while mystery hangs over the future of his foundation.
The Saido Berahino Foundation was launched almost three years ago at an event in London billed as a ‘fundraising gala’ for WaterAid.
But the party, attended by a variety of Baggies players, came under scrutiny after the charity said it had not received money from the event.
To date, WaterAid has yet to get any cash from the Saido Berahino Foundation, which put WaterAid down as one of its potential beneficiaries on launching in June in 2015.
And it is unclear what the charity has achieved - its website is inaccessible and Berahino’s agent, while saying it was operational, has decided not to provide information.
Today the Charity Commission said after an extensive review that it could not ‘establish that the event made a profit for charity’.
And WaterAid has said plans to make Berahino an official ambassador have been ditched.
The Burundi-born player, who now plays for Stoke City, started the foundation under the control of registered charity The Philanthropy Foundation.
At the launch event at London Hilton in Park Lane, Berainho was pictured in front of boards with a logo for his foundation along with a tag stating ‘in support of WaterAid’.
COMMENT: Where's the money, Saido?
Baggies players Chris Brunt, Gareth McAuley, James Morrison, Youssouf Mulumbu and Jonas Olsson attended along with former player Victor Anichebe, who auctioned off a coaching session for four with Berahino, fetching £1,000.
But a probe was launched by the Charity Commission last year after WaterAid said it had not received any money.
A spokesman for the commission said: “The commission engaged extensively with the Philanthropy Foundation in 2017 with regards to the charitable funds they manage for the Saido Berahino Foundation.
“The Philanthropy Foundation has informed the commission that the event held in support of WaterAid was organised by a third party organisation not affiliated with the Philanthropy Foundation.
"From the information received and reviewed by the commission, we were unable to establish that the event made a profit for charity. Because of this, there was no further role for the commission.”
He added it was not the commission’s role to settle disputes.
WaterAid spokesman Laura Crowley said: “WaterAid was approached by the Saido Berahino Foundation in February 2015 regarding a dinner to raise funds for the foundation.
"The event was not managed or paid for by WaterAid, and attendance was by invitation only.
“It was WaterAid’s understanding that we would receive a donation. WaterAid has not, to date, received any money from the Saido Berahino Foundation.”
She added: “Saido Berahino has never been a WaterAid ambassador as our relationship with him and his representatives did not continue after the fundraising event.”
Accounts for The Philanthropy Foundation for the year ending in October 2016 show £58,160 was granted to ‘Saido Berahino Fund’.
The player’s foundation website is no longer accessible and its Twitter account has not tweeted since March 31 in 2016.
The WBA Former Players’ Association made a donation of £50.
Secretary Geoff Snape said: “Hopefully it goes somewhere beneficial.”
Justin Rigby, a spokesman for Berahino, said the player’s foundation was still in existence.
