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Mzuni query Sulom

 

Mzuni FC have demanded full points and a refund of expenses from Super League of Malawi (Sulom) following the postponement of their TNM Super League match against Kamuzu Barracks on Sunday.

The Mzuzu-based outfit has blamed Sulom for its alleged indecisiveness which resulted in the cancellation of the game on the match day despite turning down both teams’ request to have it rescheduled.

Mzuni travelled to Lilongwe to play Silver Strikers on Saturday and the following day Kamuzu Barracks, but had a rude awakening when Sulom announced postponement of the KB game during pre-match meeting on Sunday morning.

Somba Banda—We do not know what they really want

In a letter addressed to Sulom general secretary Williams Banda, Mzuni have demanded three points and 2-0 scoreline before their next fixture.

“As you are aware, Mzuni FC was the first to ask for an exemption from having an away game due to financial woes the club is experiencing. This request was denied. Ironically, Kamuzu Barracks also asked for a cancellation of the same game which on two occasions Sulom also rejected.”

“Due to indecisive attitude of Sulom which later resulted in making decisions at the eleventh hour, Mzuni FC demands that Sulom shoulder all the bills that Mzuni FC incurred during the period we were preparing for the cancelled game which include accommodation, meals, and allowances.

“Sulom should award Mzuni FC maximum three points because it was not Mzuni’s fault to have been communicated of the game’s cancellation at the eleventh hour but rather indecision by Sulom,” reads the letter in part signed by the club’s general secretary Donnex Chilonga.

If Sulom insists that the game to be played, Chilonga said the league runners should cover the full costs for the team to travel to Lilongwe for the match.

Kamuzu Barracks wrote Sulom on May 13 asking for the postponement of the match.

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) then wrote Sulom on May 14 demanding that all matches involving their teams should be rescheduled, but Sulom stood its ground.

Banda declined to comment on Mzuni’s demands, saying his president Tiya Somba-Banda was better placed to do so.

However, Somba-Banda yesterday said the last minute postponement of the match came about because the decision was reached late on Saturday evening and it was difficult to communicate to the clubs immediately.

On why they had a change of heart after earlier turning down the request from MDF, Somba-Banda said the decision to reschedule the match was a  matter of ‘national interest’.

On Mzuni’s request to be awarded full points, he said this was not possible because the match was only rescheduled.

“Both Kamuzu Barracks and Mzuni turned up for the match and we explained to them the reason behind the decision to reschedule the match,” he said.

“As for the refund, we do not know what they really want. We already paid for their accommodation after they spent an extra night in Lilongwe to play Kamuzu Barracks. They also indicated that they were banking on gate collections for fuel, so we also paid for their return fuel to Mzuzu”.

According to Sulom and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) regulations, a match may only be called off within 72 hours to kick off. However, a match can be called off on match day due to reasons beyond control.

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