New President holds season kick-off key
Football resumption scheduled for August 29, is now in the hands of the in-coming President after a working group comprising Presidential Task force on Covid-19, Ministry of Health, Malawi National Council of Sports and FAM officials finalised measures to be taken for the safe return to football.
Last week, Zambia president Edgar Lungu gave Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) the go-ahead to resume football.
Initially, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) had indicated that it wanted football to resume on August 8, however, the final proposal to be submitted yesterday to the presidential task force on Covid-19 has pushed the date to August 29.
“The blueprint was submitted for final consideration and approval,” said FAM competitions and communication director Gomezgani Zakazaka.
Asked who will have the final say since the document already passed through the presidential task force on Covid-19, Zakazaka said the President, will make the decision.
But soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda observed that the elections will not have any impact on resumption of football.
“As you can see, FAM’s final document has input from all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and the presidential task force on Covid-19. These are the experts and they advise the President on his final decision,” he said.
The stakeholders had a consultative meeting last week in Mangochi where government gave feedback on the road map.
The working committee had Dr. Egolet Robert and Voice Mhone representing the presidential task force on Covid-19 while Ministry of Health was represented by Clement Mapanje and Dr. Jonathan Chiwanda.
Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Diana Nkhulembe and Director of Sports Jameson Ndalama led the team from the Ministry while Malawi National Council of Sports was represented by chairperson Oliver Nakoma and acting executive secretary Henry Mereka.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu led the FAM delegation that also had first vice-president Justice Jabbar Alide, executive committee member and FAM Covid-19 task force chairperson Chimango Munthali, Super League of Malawi president Tiya Somba Banda and Zakazaka.
President Peter Mutharika ordered a ban on all contact sporting activities, including football, as a preventive measure to the spread of the coronavirus.
