Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has slapped Big Bullets FC with a K450 000 ($859) fine for unsportsman-like behaviour during their Carlsberg Cup quarter-final match against Mafco at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe on August 2 2015.
According to a letter from FAM dated August 10 2015, signed by its competitions manager Gomezgani Zakazaka, Bullets, who are the defending champions, have been fined K200 000 ($382) for refusing to use the designated dressing room and K250 000 ($477) for pitch invasion by their fans.
“As outlined in Article 24 [12] and 26 [5 and 8] of the 2015 Carlsberg Cup Rules and Regulations, FAM hereby fines Big Bullets for being found guilty of unsporting behaviour
“Please be reminded that your club is responsible for the actions of your supporters and players and that you are required to take all the necessary precautions to prevent them from displaying such unsporting behaviours,” reads part of the letter.
Reacting to the development, Bullets vice-general secretary Kelvin Moyo yesterday described the punishment as a “no contest”.
Said Moyo: “We cannot contest to that because it happened, we just have to intensify the drive in sensitising our fans to the need to refrain from pitch invasion, much as we understand that some games are characterised by emotions.
“As for the dressing room charge, we initially contested it on the basis that the one who keeps the keys could not be traced, but we later on realised that it was just a matter of communication breakdown, so we would rather leave it like that.”
However, in its letter FAM did not state the deadline for paying the fine.
