Former draughts champion banned, two others fined

Association of Draughts in Malawi (Adma) has banned former national champion Ganizani Majawa for one year and fined two other players due to “misconduct.”

According to letters which Adma general secretary Suzgo Nkhoma, Majawa is not supposed to engage in any draughts activities for boycotting the recent National Championships at the Sports Council in Blantyre.

While Ezara Kaphirikwete and Levison Simba have been slapped with K1 500 fines each or risk six-month suspensions for failing to complete their games during the national championships, a development that resulted in some players getting free points and disturbing deserving players to win.

The letters explain that the three have breached section 4.0 subsection 3(d)(e) of Adma’s constitution on ethics, which states that “The code of ethics shall be breached by….(d) Players withdrawing from a tournament without valid reasons or without informing the tournament organizers, (e) Any conduct likely to injure or discredit the reputation of Adma.”

The letter to Majawa reads in part: “Adma executive regret to inform you that following your withdrawal at the last second from the most important tournament in which, as defending champion, you were supposed to participate.

“Adma finds that as total misconduct that has put the association into disrepute. Therefore, you have been banned from any Adma activity for a year.”

The letter also states that Majawa is not allowed to train or practice with any Adma player and “should any player be found playing with you will face similar disciplinary action.”

Majawa said his absence from the national contest was as a result of advice from his father who told him the sport might jeopardise his Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.