Players’ fund fails to roll out
The much anticipated Players Welfare Fund failed to roll out last weekend after Super League clubs refused to give up three percent of their gate collections.
Seven matches were played in week one, but none of the 14 Super League teams surrendered three percent of their share.
It all started with Nyasa Big Bullets and Moyale Barracks opener where both teams agreed not to remit the money.
The clubs questioned whether an account was opened for the funds and who the signatories are.
in need such as Victor Nyirenda
“There were also questions as to who qualifies to benefit from the funds and at the end of the day, the clubs said they would only remit the funds once such questions are answered,” stadium supervisor Charles Mhango said yesterday.
Big Bullets acting general secretary Kelvin Moyo said they could not give up the funds in the absence of a Player Welfare Fund account to deposit the money into.
Moyo said: “I was not at the stadium when the gate collections were shared. But our accountant was there. He refused to give up the money because where will the money go in the absence of an account for the Players Welfare Fund?”
His counterpart at Be Forward Wanderers, Mike Butao, also confirmed that they did not remit their share after their game against Silver Strikers in Lilongwe on Sunday.
“From what I know, this Players Welfare Fund is not going to start immediately. I was at the stakeholders meeting where it was in fact, agreed that the Players Welfare Committee will meet and devise a plan on how to implement this initiative. The committee will then come back to us to explain everything,” he said.
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said they would seek direction on the way forward from FAM.
Players Association of Malawi chairperson Ojukwu Malunga pleaded with stakeholders to speed up the process.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said the initiative already started with the Malawi national football team Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea where 10 percent of the gate revenue went to Players Welfare Fund.
However, in the recent Charity Shield the new gate sharing system was not implemented.
