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Clubs take on sulom

 Some TNM Super League clubs are demanding that Super League of Malawi (Sulom) should give a breakdown of the revised K100

million sponsorship.

During last season’s prize presentation ceremony, the top-flight league sponsors, TNM plc, announced a K10 million hike and a revised K40 million prize for the champions.

But prizes for runners-up, third and fourth-placed teams, among others, were not announced.

And with two weeks before the league kicks off, some teams want Sulom to come out clearly.

Bullets celebrate winning the
title last season

Nyasa Big Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said: “Things must be in black and white from the very onset of the season.

“For teams to set their respective milestones, they must be well informed about prizes for all ranks in the league.”

Silver Strikers chief executive officer ThokoChimbali said Sulom is taking clubs for granted.

He said: “It seems Sulom is refusing to learn and taking teams for granted. It is barely two weeks before the season kicks off and clubs are in the dark as regards such crucial issues.

“Why are they not calling for an AGM [Annual General Meeting] where all these issues would be addressed?

“In the past three years, Sulom has failed to abide by its own constitution by perpetually failing

 flouting it. This is very worrisome.

“They have a handy excuse of ‘lack of funds’, which I believe is flimsy. To limit the expenses, the AGM can be held in Lilongwe where there are more clubs.”

Chimbali said it is even more worrisome that an elite league is failing to find sponsors for an AGM.

On his part, Civil Service United general secretary Ronald Chiwaula said Sulom should have announced the sponsorship complete with all details.

He said: “Of course, we appreciate the sponsorship, but the arrangement is faulty. With two weeks before the start of the league, we only know the champions’ purse. How about the runners-up and so on?

“We also do not know whether the subvention fee is still there or whether it has been revised. Clubs were supposed to know all these things by now for planning purposes.

“And was there indeed an increase or they just played around with the figures by allocating the money meant for uniform towards prize money?”

But in an interview yesterday, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said TNM and Sulom will unveil the details at an appropriate time.

However, a source said the two parties want to unveil the details after signing the sponsorship contract.

Football analyst George KaudzaMasina said Sulom is being unfair to its affiliates.

He said: “This is not a social league whereby sponsorship details should be released in piecemeal. By now, all the clubs should have had the details relating to the contract.”

TNM plc chief executive officer Arnold Mbwana announced in January that they have increased sponsorship from K90 million to K100 million with K40 million going to next season’s champions.

Player of the Season prize was also raised from K500 000 to K2 million, representing a 300 percent increase

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