Out in the cold
Malawi National Council of Sports has dumped 25 affiliates from its programmes for, among others, failing to submit annual programmes complete with budgets, K50 000 annual affiliation fees and strategic plans.
The affected disciplines include athletics, volleyball, lawn tennis and hockey.
Sports Council sports development manager Ruth Mzengo yesterday said they have acted within the law to force affiliates to take their responsibilities seriously.
She said 18 associations have honoured the affiliation fees. These are basketball, boxing, chess, cricket, draughts, handball, football, golf, Malawi Schools Sports Association, paralympics, netball, table tennis, taekwondo, special Olympics, pool, weightlifting and body building.
She said: “We will only deal with those that have paid affiliation fees because we are following the law that states that any association that does not pay should not practise.
“What baffles us is that most associations pay affiliation fees to their world governing bodies yet they fail to honour the same with Sports Council which is on the lower side.”
Mzengo said apart from affiliation fees, the associations are supposed to adhere to other requirements such as producing budgets, have physical address, constitutions, strategic plans, full working and active members and hold at least one national championship a year.
“What most associations think is that they should pay affiliation just to get funding from Sports Council. It’s not just about affiliation fees. There should be a difference with those who are willing to work with us,” she said.
Mzengo also said the move has shaken up some affiliates who have assured Sports Council that they would pay and meet other requirements.
One of the dropped affiliates, Athletics Association of Malawi acting general secretary Mzee Makawa confirmed that they had been dropped.
“We have written Sports Council assuring them that we will pay the affiliation fees. It is unfortunate that we did not pay, being one of the biggest associations,” he said.
On her part, Lawn Tennis Association of Malawi general secretary Regina Dembo declined to comment, saying: “I have to check with Sports Council on what the issue [being dropped] is about.”
Meanwhile, the development has led to the council leaving out the 25 associations from a three-day resource mobilisation and finance management for sport workshop which starts today in Blantyre.
Mzengo said resources management is critical, especially in these difficult times of Covid-19 pandemic.
“The training will equip them with skills and ability to find their own resources to support their programmes and ensure prudent use and management of the resources,” she said.
