The Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has reduced by half the initial K450 000 appeal fee that Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers were each supposed to pay to have their Balaka violence case heard by the league’s appeal committee.
The development means each team will now be required to pay K225 000.
Sulom president Innocent Bottoman said the development follows the concern raised by the two teams to the effect that the fee was exorbitant.
“Following FAM’s order that the clubs are supposed to lodge their appeal with our appeals committee, we thought it wise to reduce the fee since they complained that it was excessive,” he said Bottoman.
However, Bottoman justified the fee saying it caters for the cost of convening the appeal case.
“We have to pay for costs such as transport, food and accommodation as well as allowances. We are, therefore, hopeful that both teams will now adhere to the revised fee,” he said.
But, both clubs said although the appeal fee has been reduced, they will still not pay..
“We do not have a problem with the fee, but at the moment we do not have money.
“They [Sulom] are supposed to understand us and do their part as they are the biggest beneficiary from the gate revenue, they get a bigger part from the revenue especially from matches involving us, Wanderers and Big Bullets,” said Silver’s general secretary Mike Tembo.
His Nomads counterpart David Kanyenda said the reduction of the fee supports their earlier contention that the fee is arbitrary.
“If the fee had the foundation in the rules then Sulom ought to have insisted on payment of the same. How can they just wake up one day and declare that the fee is now K225 000? Nevertheless, we will lodge an appeal within the extended time frame, but without the money.
“We are bereaved, they are supposed to compensate us. This is no occasion for them to extract or extort funds from us,” said Kanyenda.
Kanyenda could not be reached for his club’s reaction, but last week, he told The Nation: “One of our grievances is the fee, it has no basis and it lacks foundation in the rules. It is arbitrary and manifestly excessive. So, the ball is in FAM’s court.” n
