Council, MRA rescues weightlifting association

The Malawi National Council of Sports (MNSC) and the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) have rescued the Weightlifting Association of Malawi (WAM) by facilitating transportation of gym equipment from Kenya into the country.

According to WAM president Richard Kuwali, the council will provide K3.2 million (about $9 411) to transport four sets of gym equipment from Kenya to Malawi while MRA has offered duty-waiver on the equipment which could have seen WAM cough out over K1 million (about $2 941).

“We are greatly relieved that finally the equipment will be transported to Malawi. It has been a long wait and we were hopeless,” said Kuwali.

He said they are planning to send national coach Chimwemwe Bakali and WAM general secretary to Kenya to bring the equipment.

“We plan to hold presidential weightlifting and bodybuilding competition in March and we want the equipment to be home before then. It might take a bit of time because some logistics are yet to be finalised,” said Kuwali.

The equipment was donated to WAM by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) last February and has been stuck in Kenya since then. The donation was meant to help local athletes to prepare for the Olympic Games in London.

Kuwali said once the equipment is in the country, they plan to distribute one set to each of the four regions of the country.