Treasury approves Flames extra funding
Ministry of Youth and Sports says Treasury has approved K230 million extra funding towards the Flames’ Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) dues.
The funds will cater for game bonuses and part of their external allowances while in Cameroon.
The ministry’s spokesperson Ali Kalichelo said in an interview on Thursday that the funds were released on Tuesday.
He said: “I can confirm that funds totalling K230 million have been given to FAM [Football Association of Malawi] through Sports Council.”
However, Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa said in an interview on Friday that they are not aware of the development.
He said: “As Sports Council we do not know anything about the money which is said to have been released.
“We have not been communicated anything regarding the matter.”
But FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said while they have not received the funds, he was briefed on the same by the ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS) Oliver Kumbambe on Friday.
He said: “We have received verbal assurance from the ministry that K230 million has been released by Treasury.
“This was confirmed by the PS at the Flames home coming dinner.”
Nyamilandu said apart from game bonuses and allowances, “we are in serious debt to settle operational costs such as air tickets and extra expenses incurred on the five reserve players”.
One of the players yesterday confided that they were informed that they would get their dues before returning home.
“But we were later told that due to financial constraints, we would be paid upon returning home,” he said.
FAM offered the Flames K1 million each for a win had they qualified for the group stage of the competition.
The Flames were also offered $1 500 (about K1.2 million) each for the group stage as external allowance and $100 (about K82 500) per day per player throughout the knockout stages.
According to a press release issued by the association, the special incentive was offered to motivate the team at the continental showpiece.
Reads the press release in part: “Following successful discussions, the players will be entitled to K1 million for each game won or drawn subject to qualifying to the knockout stages, failing which a normal game bonus of K500 000 for a win and half amount for a draw will apply.”
At the tournament, the Flames qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in history of Malawi football.
In the group stage, Malawi lost 1-0 to Guinea in their opening match before coming from behind to edge Zimbabwe 2-1. They held Africa’s top-ranked side Senegal to a goaless draw in their last group match before going down 2-1 to Morocco in the round of 16.
