Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) has been accused for failing to support athletes who have been invited to participate in Rotary Half Marathon in Tanzania.
One of the athletes, Ndacha Mchelenje told Mana in an interview that the six athletes who left for Tanzania on Monday used their own resources on the trip.
“It is quite unfortunate that we have been asked to use our own resources on the trip to Tanzania because it is quite challenging for us to find money and definitely, this will also affect us psychologically.” said Mchelenje.
He said although the Athletics Association of Tanzania has promised to refund their transport costs and provide food and accommodation; they were expecting AAM to give them some of the requirements.
Rotary Half Marathon is an annual event in Tanzania held in commemoration of the first President of that country, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
This year it is scheduled for today.
General secretary of the Athletics Association of Malawi, Frank Chitembeya, said his organisation did not have resources to give to the athletes for the trip.
“We want to teach these athletes to be honest because last year, we borrowed money from government on a similar trip, but those who went did not bring the money back. We struggled as an association to pay the money back to government,” said Chitembeya.
