Silver accuse Dwangwa of fielding Mafco player
Silver Strikers are demanding full points from their last Sunday TNM Super League match against Dwangwa United which ended in a draw, accusing the Nkhotakota-based rookies of featuring a Mafco player.
According to Silver Strikers general secretary Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda, Wilson Magombo has a contract with the Bankers up to March 2019, but was loaned to Mafco in August.
However, Dwangwa has described the claims as kicks of a dying horse after the Lilongwe-based outfit struggled to come from behind to force a one-all draw at Chitowe Stadium on Sunday.
In a letter dated October 2, Silver have asked Super League of Malawi (Sulom) to dock Dwangwa points for illegally featuring the players.
“Wilson Magombo is contracted to Silver Strikers Football Club up to March 1 2019. He was on August 3 loaned to Mafco Football Club. Silver Strikers Football Club dully cleared Mr Wison Magombo to play for Mafco. We, however, never cleared him to play for Dwangwa United.
“We accordingly, request that an appropriate disciplinary action should be taken against Dwangwa. We understand that the penalty against a club that illegally features a player in a Super League match or cup game, loses the match,” reads the letter from Silver.
A clearance which we have seen, shows that the player was cleared to play for Mafco.
“This letter serves to inform you that Mr. Wilson Magombo is contracted to Silver Strikers Football Club up to March 1 2019.
“Mr. Magombo has been allowed to join Mafco Football Club on loan. Silver Strikers Football Club will, however, not claim any loan fee with respect to Wilson Magombo,” reads the clearance letter dated August 3.
But Magombo yesterday produced another clearance letter which states that he was free to join a team of his choice after he was released by the Bankers.
Dwangwa has also produced a clearance signed by Mafco general secretary Jimmy Kondwani Chisenga.
Team manager Dave Mwandira said they signed the player as a free agent.
He said: “The player’s contract with Silver expired on March 1 2017. We signed him as a free agent after he was released by Mafco. I think Silver just don’t want to accept that they failed to beat us. If they had won the match they could not have raised this issue at all.”
However, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said they will investigate the matter.
“We will investigate the matter and act accordingly. But we discourage teams from seeking points from boardroom decisions instead of the pitch,” he said.
But, in response, Chakaka-Nyirenda said rules and regulations should not be ignored.
He said: “It is not about us failing to beat Dwangwa. I am the one who clears these players and I came a bit late for the match. If I had not attended that match, the other officials could not even have noted that this player is not supposed to play for Dwangwa. Even if we had won, we were going to lodge the complaint,” he said.
Silver are on second position with 39 points while Dwangwa are 14th with 19 points.
