Desperate plea
FAM has proposed to government that TNM Super League games should resume on February 24 with a waiver of 98 people at every match, pleading that further delays could have adverse effects, including disbandment of clubs.
On January 19 Super League of Malawi (Sulom) suspended the top-flight league Super League for three weeks to observe the newly-gazetted Covid-19 prevention laws announced by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 which restricted public gathering to 50 people which rendered playing of elite football impossible because at the bare minimum, an elite football match requires 98 people in accordance with Fifa and, CAF match guidelines.
In a seven-page letter dated February 9 addressed to Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), which Weekend Nation has seen, requesting for authorisation to resume matches behind closed doors, but with a special waiver of 98 people allowed per match.
“The Super League is an elite sport and for a match at that level to be professionally managed as explained above, the minimum number of individuals involved is 98,” reads part of the letter signed by FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda.
The association states that in an effort to demonstrate continued support to government on the prevention of further spread of Covid-19 in football, it has enhanced its preventive measures such as mandatory test within seven days before resumption of matches and during the mid-season break.
“This will be supplemented by routine testing of all football stakeholders with Covid-19 presented symptoms or contacts to a known positive case,” the letter further reads.
The other fears outlined by FAM on further delays are that the Flames’ crucial 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan and Uganda next month in March—which will determine the team’s qualification chances—will be affected as the local players are currently inactive.
The other fear factors outlined by FAM are that: l The risk of most of the Super League clubs disbanding due to withholding of funding by respective sponsors as a result of inactivity.
lSerious impact on economical, physical, psychological and emotional well-being of many in the football industry. Football is a substantive source of economic activity for clubs, players, sponsors, facility owners and a cross-section of stakeholders.
lProlonged and further adjustment of the football calendar which has already been affected as it changed from a one-year calendar (2020) to a two-year calendar (2020-2021).
l Football has already lost a sponsor for elite football Fisd due to inactivity and there are fears that we could lose more sponsors if we remain inactive.
l The risk of the game dying a natural death.
According to FAM’s restart plan, the letter was delivered to government through Sports Council on February 9 and their expectation was that it would be submitted to Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on February 11 and that the approval would be granted on February 14 while the testing of players would be done between February 15 and 16 ahead of the expected resumption on February 14.
However, Ministry of Youth and Sports director of sports Jameson Ndalama yesterday said they only got the letter on Thursday which means FAM is already behind schedule.
“We only got the letter yesterday [Thursday] and management is looking at it before submitting it to the task force for its perusal,” he said.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said they are keeping their fingers crossed that their proposal will be approved by both the Covid-19 Task Force.
“It will be vital for a waiver to be granted to football because of the factors that we have outlined and we are optimistic that it will be taken into consideration,” he said.
