National Sports

Chad detained for extra bills

Chad national soccer team was briefly detained at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre Sunday morning for failing to honour extra bills accumulated during their stay.

One of the hotel managers and FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda confirmed the development, saying the team was only allowed to leave after their Minister of Sports Haikal Zakaria settled the bills.

Said the manager who asked for anonymity: “We could not let them leave before honouring the extra bills they accumulated, but the issue was sorted out amicably.”

But the hotel official could not be drawn to disclose the amount, describing it as “strictly confidential”.

Nyirenda confirmed that the Chadian Sports Minister settled his team’s extra bills.

It has also emerged that Chad left Alexander Shire Highlands Hotel where they were booked by their hosts Football Association of Malawi (FAM) just a day after their arrival.

According to Nyirenda, the visiting team changed the hotel on their own.

“They wanted us to pay for their accommodation at Sunbird Mount Soche, but we refused because we had booked them at Shire Highlands.

“So, the issue is currently in the hands of the match commissioner David Fani [from Botswana] who is assessing as to whether the hotel we had booked them falls within the required CAF standards and then he will make a determination and submit a report,” said Nyirenda.

The FAM CEO also described Chad’s move to leave Shire Highlands Hotel as unfortunate.

“Maybe they felt it was not to their expected standards, but in as far as we are concerned, it is a good hotel,” said Nyirenda.

Chad, who were shown the exit from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations following their 2-0 loss to the Flames on Saturday, left the country on Sunday.

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