National Sports

Sulom faulted on delayed verdicts

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has come under criticism for releasing a disciplinary case verdict which has seen eight Moyale Barracks suspended just three days before the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) outfit face Nyasa Big Bullets at Mzuzu Stadium tomorrow.

Gastin Simkonda, Boyiboyi Chima and Victor Mwale are suspended for two matches for influencing the referee’s decision during the match against Mzuzu University (Mzuni) in May.

Moyale will miss eight players when they face Bullets

Victor Mwale, Lloyd Njaliwa, Ntopijo Njewa, Lovemore Jere and Boyiboyi Chima will miss six matches for their role in the violence that occured after the match.

In the fracas, Mzuni supporters threw stones on the pitch during the match to protest the referee’s decision and one of them hit and injured a Moyale player Chima.

After the match, Moyale players descended on the supporters injuring scores of them in the process.

Sulom has since banned the two sides from using Mzuzu Stadium in matches against each other.

Both teams have also been fined K1.5 million each for the incident.

In another verdict, Sulom has fined Nyasa Big Bullets K1.5 million after finding the Super League giants  guilty of failing to control their supporters.

The People’s Team supporters threw bottles, cans and others objects onto the pitch in protest against referees’ decision to rule out their two goals for off-side in a match against rivals Be forward Wanderers on April 28.

Football analyst Charles Nyirenda said Sulom’s disciplinary committee needs to improve in delivering justice.

He said: “They said justice delayed is justice denied. What kind of football case takes three months to come up with a verdict? This is unacceptable. And indeed the timing is very questionable. One would wonder why it took them ages to come up with a verdict until now.

“Moyale might think Sulom is trying to weaken thier team at a time they will be playing Bullets. This could have been avoided if Sulom disciplinary committee was sensitive. I believe they can do better than that this.”

But Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the delay was because the cases were complicated.

He said: “The disciplinary committee needed ample time to study the evidence provided so that they could come up with a fair judgment. They did not want t o rush into doing things.

“Yes, we understand the verdict delayed, but remember this is an independent body and we cannot push it to come up with decision if it feels it has not studied the cases thoroughly.

“Also take into consideration that these people do this on voluntary basis. They have their jobs other that this.” n

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