Flights suspension affects Queens’ trio

England-based Malawian netball trio—Joyce Mvula, Laureen Ngwira and Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda—are still held up in the United Kingdom following suspension of flights due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

England Netball (EN) cancelled the 2020 season three weeks ago as a precautionary measure to further contain spread of the pandemic and the three national team players were released to return home, but in an interview, Mvula said they cannot leave due to the suspension of the flights

Said the Manchester Thunder goal shooter: “We would have been home by now had it not been for the suspension of flights in Malawi.

“So, for now, we are just waiting for the day the suspension will be lifted.”

She said for now they spend most of their time training on their own.

“We are also being taken care of by our [respective] clubs,” said Mvula who plays in the same team with Ngwira while Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda turns out for Severn Stars in the Vitality Netball Superleague.

Flights in the country were suspended from May 1 as a way of controlling the spread of Covid-19.

But there is a ray of hope for the three Malawi Queens players following a recommendation by the Ministry of Transport and Public Infrastructure to the Ministry of Health that the country’s airports should open for international flights from July 15.

Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure Ralph Jooma said his ministry has made the recommendation to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

“Those measures, which were initiated by the Ministry of Transport, were gazetted by the Ministry of Health. So, it is that ministry that can authorise the opening of flights,” he  told journalists last week.

On its part, the task force, through co-chairperson John Phuka said they are still looking at different proposals and they will provide their position in due course.