The Presidential Initiative for Sports’ (PIS) seventh consecutive season kicks off on March 1 2014 with news that there will be no hike in the K120 million (US$287 081) sponsorship.
Sports Council’s executive secretary George Jana said yesterday there was no justification for a raise.
“I have not received any indication that the money is not enough. The PIS actually presents more money than any other competition and I am surprised that people complain, if at all they are complaining.
“I do not think there would also be change in format as nobody has come forward to say this is a better way of running it,” Jana argued.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions officer Gomezgani Zakazaka yesterday said all logistics about the tournament will emerge later when the association’s general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda meets Jana in Lilongwe.
Teams have over the years complained that the K60 million (US$143 540) sponsorship for football is on the lower side.
Last season, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu was quoted as saying in The Nation “what was K60 million three years ago is not the same today.”
“It’s not good news; not in the interest of development, but I would want to argue he [Jana] knows the truth,” said Nyamilandu yesterday when asked for a reaction to the latest development.
At the launch of last year’s PIS edition in Mzuzu, Sports Minister Enoch Chihana said government would consider hiking the package to around K200 million (US$478 468).
From the football package, K16 million (US$38 277) goes towards prizes with champions pocketing K10 million (US$23 923), K5 million (US$11 961) for finalists and K500 000 (US$1 196) each for semi-finalists.
Mafco won the cup on June 30 2013 after seeing off overwhelming favourites and hosts Silver Strikers 10-9 on post-match penalties.
Mafco coach Stereo Gondwe was yesterday in the dark on the calendar for this year’s competition, saying they would regroup today after a long holiday.
FACT FACTS:
TNM sponsors the Super League to the tune of K65 million per season with K9 million for champions.
Carlsberg Malawi Limited’s and the Standard Bank’s funding to their respective cups are pegged at K20 million and K25 million respectively and champions pocket K7 million and K8 million.
