Flames to pay K2.1m fine for AFCON withdrawal

The Flames risk a $5 000 (K2.1 million) fine and further suspension from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) if FAM withdraws the team from the 2015 edition.

Read Confederation of African Football (CAF) rules and regulations: “The registered teams must play all the matches of the preliminary phase. In case of forfeit, they shall be responsible for financial consequences that shall be determined by the organising committee,” read www.cafonline.com Article 50 and Article 51.

“An association declaring forfeit, after having registered, before the start of the preliminary phase, shall entail a fine of $5 000 in addition to forfeiture of the entry fees. It shall not be allowed also to participate in the following edition of Afcon.”

The imminent pull-out, which Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu disclosed on Monday, means the Flames would only be able to participate in the 2019 Nations Cup qualifiers. As of yesterday, FAM was yet to withdraw from the 2015 preliminary round qualifiers which are scheduled to start in May.

CAF rules and regulations article 50 headlined Forfeit, Withdrawals, Refusal to Play, Replacement, also suggest that FAM could forfeit the $500 (K215 000) it paid in registration fees at the current dollar rate.

All teams wanting to participate in the Nations Cup qualifiers are required to register by December 31 before the next competition.

Malawi is on the list of 51 teams registered for the 2015 edition preliminary round qualifiers to start next month.

“The application for participation should be accompanied by the entry fees of $500 and a specific Afcon application form provided by CAF,” reads article 10 sourced on www.cafonline.com.

Nyamilandu yesterday said he was fully aware of the consequences which have been made known to the Sports Council and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The council and government told FAM to choose between the Flames and Under-20’s participation in CAF Youth Championship.

“We are aware but maybe government is not aware and that information has been passed on to the Sports Council and government. As of now, it is a question of wanting to withdraw, not that we have withdrawn,” Nyamilandu explained.

Government wrote FAM last week that since FAM exhausted its funding, money would only be available in the next financial year starting this July and that the association has to fend for itself if it wants both teams to get involved in international competitions.

“It is not just about taking part in a tournament, it is about preparedness. You also look at how government has been funded and how football has been funded as well…We should not participate for the sake of it,” Sports Minister Enoch Chihana told The Nation of Tuesday.

FAM funded its hosting of Zimbabwe in a strength-testing match the hosts lost 1-4 and the association now says it has exhausted its income generated from replica jerseys as they also funded friendly matches against Rwanda and Botswana.