Malawi government probes paralympics saga

Malawi’s Ministry of Youth and Sports is investigating circumstances that led to Malawi paralympics team’s failure to participate in the 2012 London Games.

Principal secretaries in the ministry Alex Mseka and Justin Saidi on Monday separately confirmed demanding a report from the Malawi Paralympics Committee (MPC) over the aborted trip.

“We already have the report. We want to establish if there was planning and if procedures were followed. There are procedures when teams are travelling or hosting an event as this can have an impact on the image of the country,” said Saidi.

He could not say what will happen if government establishes some flaws on the trip’s preparations. A few days ago, Sports Minister Enoch Chihana told the British media that the Malawi paralympics team did not travel to London because it was not prepared.

Ironically, government, through Sports Council development officer Ruth Mzengo, wrote MPC not to proceed with the trip for the athletes Chisomo German, Janet Shedan and their guides Faith Labana and Chiyembekezo Jamali to London “for the good image of the Government of Malawi, and for the safety of the athletes.”

Government was against the team travelling without officials. The International Paralympics Committee (IPC) has since demanded a reimbursement of K2.3 million (or 48 942 pounds sterling) which was meant for air tickets.

The Nation was unable to get MPC’s reaction, but a source in Lilongwe provided The Nation a copy of the association’s report prepared by vice-general secretary George Luhanga to government.

“We, as Malawi National Paralympic Committee, on behalf of Malawi Government have regretted for all what has come as a result of this cancellation. We are appealing to our government through the Malawi National Council of Sports, on our behalf, to apologise to Locog [Local Organising Committee) and IPC so that we start again rebuilding the cordial relationship that was there before,” writes Luhanga.

Last week, IPC services senior manager Jurgen Padberg wrote MPC that the Malawi team’s withdrawal was “completely unacceptable to the International Paralympic Committee.”