FAM scraps off MSCE requirement

Delegates to the Association of Malawi (FAM) annual general meeting (AGM) in Mangochi on Saturday, scrapped off the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) as a minimum requirement for executive membership.

The development means that those that have no academic qualifications can now vie for a position in the football governing body’s executive committee.

The association’s legal affairs committee made the proposal to amend the constitution on the basis that it was prohibitive as some people with rich knowledge of the game in areas such as administration, refereeing and coaching were being denied an opportunity to contribute towards the development of the game.

However, football analysts Humphrey Mvula and George Kaudza Masina described the development as a  step backwards.

Said Mvula: “ With the lack of adequate capacity building within the country, one would have advocated for higher qualifications for our football administrators so that they are able to perform with adequate cognitive  knowledge rather than using instrumental skills.

“I mean a person vying for a FAM position  should have a broader CV than just MSCE or just being a former football player or just having been an administrator of a local football club. If we want to improve the administration of our football we must have in football management individuals that have capacity to relate at appropriate levels.”

However, the meeting rejected a proposal to amend the constitution to include Super League clubs’ representatives to the general assembly with most of the delegates feeling that the clubs are already represented by the elite league runners Super League of Malawi (Sulom).

FAM legal affairs committee chairperson Jabbar Alide on Thursday said the proposal was made after some stakeholders felt the need for the top-flight league clubs to participate at the general assembly.

But Nyasa Big Bullets chief executive officer Fleetwood Haiya described it as unfortunate.

“I think it is high time that we [clubs] should stand tall in unity within the traditional platforms in advancing our interests if we are to develop the game,” he said.

However, Masina yesterday hailed the delegates, saying: “That [proposal] was a nonstarter because clubs are represented by Sulom who advance their interests at the AGM. So,  you cannot have an affiliate of Sulom sitting in the mother body.”

The meeting also approved a proposal to amend the constitution to increase the number of female representation to two. n