Controversy over Fam’s surety funds

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has come under criticism for failing to refund surities the Super League clubs paid under club licensing system.

The 16 clubs paid K1 million each as commitment to fulfil their fixtures in the 2017 season.

The money was to be repaid to the clubs at the end of the season.

All the clubs fulfilled their fixtures except Masters Security FC, who boycotted their last game against Nyasa Big Bullets.

Now, the clubs feel cheated since FAM is yet to fulfil its promise to refund the money,  a month before the new season kicks off.

Ironically, FAM has asked the clubs to pay 2018 season surety, which has been doubled to K2 million.

Civil Sporting Club general secretary Ronald Chiwaula faulted FAM for failing to fulfil its part of the bargain.

“I do not know what is causing FAM to delay giving us back the money. As Civil Sporting Club, we reminded them about the issue, but we are yet to get a concrete response,” he said.

“It is important that as we start preparations for the next season, all issues to do with last season are sorted out.” he added.

Azam Tigers chairperson Sydney Chikoti agreed with Chiwaula that their understanding was that the funds would be invested and it was automatic that FAM would immediately refund the clubs after the conclusion of the season in December 2017.

“Since the surety we paid was a mere deposit to FAM, it implies that it is supposed to be refunded to the clubs once the season concluded,” he said.

FAM club licensing manager Casper Jangale said some clubs had asked the association to keep the money.

“Some of the clubs issued instructions that they will just top up their last season’s surety so as to meet their K2 million requirement for the 2018 season while others did not pay the sum at all,” he said.

Soccer analyst George Kaudza-Masina said it does not make sense for FAM not to refund the money to the clubs.

Kaudza-Masina said: “If indeed the money was invested and is to be refunded with interest, fair and good. The clubs fulfilled their mandate of paying the surety, so let FAM do likewise by refunding them.”

FAM has since started receiving applications for licences from top-flight league clubs for the 2018 season.

Jangale said it would not make sense to give back the money and then ask them to pay the K2 million for the coming season.

The process will be finalised on March 1 with final submissions before the First Instance Body (FIB).

FIB will decide the clubs deserving the licences. Clubs that fail the club licensing test by early March are expected to be relegated to lower leagues.