FAM, Sulom differ on Surestream Stadium
Football Association of Malawi has said conditions of using the Surestream Academy stadium (formerly MDC Stadium) for Super League games are yet to be finalised and that no team has been sidelined from using the facility.
This is contrary to what Super League of Malawi (Sulom) general secretary Williams Banda told the media on Thursday that Silver Strikers, Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers will not be allowed to use the stadium because they are crowd pullers.
“The stadium will only be open to games involving small teams that do not attract big crowds.
“Teams such as Silver Strikers, Bullets FC and Mighty Wanderers will not be allowed to use the facility because they attract huge crowds which may lead to vandalisation of the facility. So, as a pre-caution measure, such teams will not play at the stadium.
“The stadium will also only host one game per weekend, starting from next week,” Banda told MBC Radio 2 FM.
But FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said in an interview the agreement on the use of the stadium is yet to be struck.
“We will have a meeting next week us FAM, Surestream and Sulom to map the way forward on the best way of using the facility. So, at the moment, no team has been barred from using the facility. The details will be known after next week’s meeting,” said Nyirenda.
Reacting to Sulom’s remarks, Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire said it would be unfair to bar them from using the facility.
“We just have to come up with proper security measures that will ensure the facility is not destroyed regardless of who is using it. We cannot be travelling to Zomba, Balaka or Nchalo and spend more when Kamuzu Stadium is not in use. We also have to benefit,” said Mkandawire.
FAM owns the stadium but leased it to Surestream Academy who renovated it to good standards after it was left to rot. Before that, the stadium was leased to Wanderers FC who failed to maintain it due to rising costs.
The stadium last hosted Super League games in 2008.
After renovations, Surestream management refused to allow Super League action return last season for fear of leading to dilapidation again.
