FAM asks for confirmatory Covid-19 tests

FAM yesterday asked CAF to conduct confirmatory tests after six more players and three officials tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, ruling them out for this evening’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group B match against Guinea in Cameroon.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said in an interview yesterday that they were waiting for a response.

“We want the confirmatory tests to be done today [yesterday] because most of them are not symptomatic. We hope they will accept,” he said.

 Nyamilandu also said the rules and regulations of the tournament “are very harsh and not Covid-19 friendly”.

He said: “CAF [Confederation of African Football] should have allowed for more players to accommodate replacement for those that test positive.

“It’s absurd that the provision of a reserved list of five players only caters for injuries and not Covid-19 cases.”

Nyamilandu said the rules are also contradictory as the part on eligibility provides for players on the reserve list to replace those that are Covid-19 positive.

The seven players who are ruled out of the Flames’ opening match are defenders Stanley Sanudi, Peter Cholopi and Lawrence Chaziya, midfielders Robin Ngalande, Charles Petro and Chikoti Chirwa and striker Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango, who are in isolation.

Left-back Mark Fodya, who re-tested negative in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, will join the team this afternoon, just in time for the match.

To make matters worse, interim coach Marian Mario Marinica, goalkeeper trainer Swadick Sanudi and physiotherapist Chikondi Mandalasi also tested positive and the Flames will be under the tutelage of coach Meck Mwase.

Read part of the rules: “A team that does not have a minimum of 11 players available will be considered to have lost the match 2-0.

“A team will be required to play a match if they have a minimum of 11 players available who have tested negative. In the event of the absence of a goalkeeper, another player from the team must replace the goalkeeper, provided the total number of available players is at least 11.”

The rules also stipulate that teams will be allowed five substitutions per match.

“To reduce disruption to the match, each team will have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game; substitutions may also be made at half time,” reads part of the rules.

Nevertheless, Nyamilandu put on a brave face, saying the Flames will still have a strong team today.

He said: “The only difference is that we will default to plan B because we had a contingency plan.

“We were prepared for such eventuality. Any player that was called to be part and parcel of the squad is fit and ready to start the game. We have no bystanders or passengers in the squad.”

Guinea are reported to have  registered eight positive cases while Senegal’s Lions of Teranga have three, including Chelsea goalkeeper Eduardo Mendy.

Football analyst Kelvin Moyo said the situation will affect the competition.

He said: “My concern is that the level of competition will be graded down. With the highly contegious Omicron variant, CAF should have amended the competition rules and allowed teams to register 30 players.”