Saturday, July 2, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Editors Pick

FAM uncertain on 2021 cups

by Joy Ndovi
27/01/2021
in Editors Pick, National Sports
4 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which has resulted in suspension of contact sports has cast doubt on possibility of the country hosting football cup competitions this year.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary Alfred Gunda yesterday in an interview said it was not a matter of when the EcoBank Charity Shield, FDH Cup and Airtel Top 8 competitions will be staged, but rather if at all it will be feasible to stage them.

Flashback: Nomads players celebrate their victory over Silver Strikers in the Fisd Cup

He said: “At the moment, the issue is not about when we will stage these cup competitions. Football is not even there now. So, it is about whether they will be played at all.

“Remember, our plans were laid down before the second wave of the pandemic. Can we say when they [cup competitions] will be played? The answer is no. We cannot say that now.

“The Charity Shield was supposed to be played mid-season but the suspension of football means we don’t even know when the mid-season will come. The same applies to the other competitions.”

Even if government lifts the suspension on gatherings of more than 50 people to pave way for football to return, Gunda said there are other factors that need to be sorted out.

He said: “What we are saying is all competitions will have to be revisited on the feasibility of staging them this season. For instance, when we were planning for the Charity Shield, we were talking of playing with fans.

“The Charity Shield is used to raise funds through gate revenue for charity cause. The question is can we still play the Charity Shield without fans and achieve our objective? These are the issues that have to be considered. We have to go back to the drawing board and look at the pros and cons.”

FAM’s position comes after the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 listed sports events as one of the high risk areas for Covid-19 transmission.

But soccer analyst Kelvin Moyo is of the view that football should still be played regardless of the status of the pandemic.

He said: “The world over football is still being played without supporters. Right now in Europe and even South Africa where they are on lockdown football is still being played.”

Moyo called on FAM to lobby government to allow football to be played so that the cup competitions can be staged.

He said: “FAM should engage Ministry of Sports and the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on how football can still be played regardless of the Covid-19,”  he said.

FAM Covid-19 Task Force chairperson Chimango Munthali said the association will continue engaging government on the safest way to play football amid the pandemic.

FAM was supposed to stage EcoBank Charity Shield at the beginning of the season, but the competition, which traditionally marks the kick-off of the season, was rescheduled to mid-season.

Next on the line up was the Airtel Top 8  competition participated by teams that finished within the top eight  bracket in the previous TNM Super League season.

With sponsors having already withdrawn the Fisd Challenge Cup sponsorship,  the last cup competition scheduled for this year is the newly-introduced FDH Cup, which was supposed to be played during the second round of the season.

However, since football is suspended for three weeks and FAM is not sure whether government will allow the return of football with supporters, the association says it cannot confirm whether the cup competitions will be played at all.

Previous Post

Covid-19 dampens key economic indicators

Next Post

Covid-19 rules haunt the poor

Related Posts

Failed to make it as president: Chihana
Editors Pick

MP Chihana flops at Sadc elections

July 2, 2022
The Blantyre derby grossed the highest revenue so far
Front Page

South teams dominate Mpira TV

July 2, 2022
Judges in ceremonial walk out of the High Courtagainst
Editors Pick

Judiciary protests verbal attacks

July 1, 2022
Next Post
The vendor who changed repressive colonial law: Gwanda

Covid-19 rules haunt the poor

Opinions and Columns

My Diary

God-fearing nation, my foot!

July 2, 2022
Off the Shelf

APM digging a hole for DPP

July 2, 2022
Guest Spot

‘Fighting corruption is not the easiest task of any govt’

July 2, 2022
My Turn

Following spouse is no crime

July 1, 2022

Malawi-Music.com Top10

Trending Stories

  • Alliance partners talk

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New VP houses draw criticism

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  •  Malawi credit Status at risk

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Britain squeezes Zuneth Sattar

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Chilima opens pandora’s box

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2022 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.