FAM rebuffs silver
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has thrown out Silver Strikers’ complaint on Dwangwa United player Wilson Magombo.
The local football governing body has advised Super League of Malawi (Sulom) that Dwangwa can continue using the player, effectively quashing Silver’s call for the league administrators to dock points from the Nkhotakota-based outfit.
Silver wanted Dwangwa to lose points for using the player during their match which ended one-all, arguing that they loaned out the player to Mafco.
But a letter from FAM to Sulom which we have seen clears Dwangwa of wrong doing and faults Silver of making contradicting statements.
“As per your request on the determination of the status of Wilson Magombo, FAM hereby wishes to advise the Sulom of the following: That according to FAM and Sulom records, the player signed a three year contract with Silver Strikers FC; That the contract the player signed with Silver commenced on February 1 2016 and would end on December 31 2018 as per calendar of FAM,” reads the letter signed by FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda.
FAM says the clearance letter from Silver dated March 24 2017 is misleading since it states that the player was being loaned to any club and that his contract would expire on March 1 2017.
The association further faults Silver’s loan letter to Mafco, saying it differs with what is contained in the actual contract with FAM and Sulom on emoluments.
“The letter says the player receives K100 000 as monthly upkeep allowance, K20 000 as game bonus for a win and half for a draw in competitive matches whilst the contract says K40 000 as monthly upkeep allowance, K2 000 as weekly training allowance, K15 000 as competitive game allowance and half for a draw in competitive matches,” reads the letter in part.
FAM also observes that the player was signed by Dwangwa based on two clearance letters—from Silver dated, March 24 and Mafco dated August 22—and that he should continue playing for his current club.
“The player should continue to feature for Dwangwa United FC up until Silver both FAM and Sulom on the status of the player based on the contents of the letter the club issued dated March 24,” the letter reads.
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the onus was on Silver to clear the confusion.
“The letter is very clear. Silver is supposed to provide the answers to the queries FAM has raised,” he said.
Silver general secretary Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda said FAM of skirting around the issue.
He said: “We are going to appeal against the decision. FAM is deliberately skirting around the real issue here. The issue is not about salary and other emoluments. Salaries and other emoluments are revised from time to time. The issue here is whether the player belongs to Silver and loaned to Mafco and whether he was fraudulently registered by Dwangwa United FC.” n
