Dedza to shun Super League play-offs
Almost a week after Super League of Malawi’s (Sulom) appeals committee upheld the league’s decision to hold play-offs aimed at identifying the 16th team in the TNM Super League, Dedza Young Soccer have declared that they will not take part in the play-offs and have advised Sulom to pick a candidate of its choice from the relegated teams.
The club also says it will vacate the court injunction restraining Sulom from proceeding with the promotion play-offs for the good of football.
In a statement made available to Nyasa Times signed by the team’s general secretary Harold Mmora and copied to Fam, Sulom, Super League sponsors Telekom Neworks Malawi and other stakeholders, Dedza says it has completely lost confidence in the Sulom executive, which was found guilty by both the court of law and its own instituted appeals committee of handling the club’s case in an amateurish manner.
“We do not want to be part of play-offs organised by an inefficient organisation. We feel taking part in the play-offs will render the 2015 TNM Super League useless and dilute the aim of accumulating points, having noted that a losing club can be favoured and promoted basing on the club’s connections in society at the expense of a rural based club without such connections.
“It is our collective position that we are no longer participating in the play-offs and that the injunction will be lifted because our efforts landed into the ears of people, who had already made their mind,” reads the letter.
The club has further faulted the determination by Sulom’s appeals committee to uphold the Sulom executive’s decision, when it was clear in the face of everybody privy to the case that the executive breached its own rules and regulations of handling complaints from concerned parties.
The appeals committee has also been faulted by Dedza of turning down the club’s request to parade witnesses to prove its argument that the assembly at the Sulom Extra-Ordinary General Meeting held on November 14, 2015 in Lilongwe resolved that two teams be relegated from the elite league and three from the lower leagues promoted.
“Although we have enough grounds of appeal, we have decided to forgo all the grounds for the good of football,” reads the letter.
Sulom is yet to make its position on the decision by Dedza, which comes fast on the heels of comments from Airborne Rangers officials and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) headquarters that Rangers might also not proceed with the play-offs due to the decision by top management at MDF to reduce the number of military teams in the league from five to three by next year.
The decision by MDF top management has already affected the participation of newly promoted Chilumba Barracks in the top-flight league. It is not clear if Sulom will let Chilumba’s runners-up Karonga United to fill the vacancy created by Chilumba’s withdrawal or conduct play-offs involving top teams from the Simama Northern Region Football League to determine a replacement.
Tradition has it that the second best team from the regional league takes the place of the number one team when the champions are unable to play in the Super League but with the precedent set by Sulom to have play-offs to fill a vacancy in the league, it will be hypocritical on the part of the league to admit Karonga United without holding play-offs.
An investigation concluded recently by Nyasa Times revealed some Fam and Sulom officials have been conspiring to deny Dedza the opportunity of remaining in the national league and promote bottom placed FISD Wizards, who finished eight points behind Dedza on the 2015 TNM Super League log table.
In countries where promotion play-offs are held, the bottom team automatically goes down and is not allowed to take part in play-offs.
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Fisd Wizards was at the bottom of the log table from day one of the league up to the last day of the league. What else do they deserve? There is an eight point gap between Dedza and Wizards, and you want Wizards to play in the league at the expense of Dedza and you dream that our Malawi Team can perform on the international level? Maloto a chumba.
In the first place I wondered long time when I heard of play-offs. This was ridiculous even the std 1 pupil would make a sensible decision from the whole thing. On a list of 15 teams tell a std 1 girl to draw a line on the best 13 teams, for sure the 13th team would jump onto the list. Stupid SULOM guys and Foolish FAM fools cant use their dull brains to make the right decision. Why do you want the 15th team to play in the league at the expense of the obvious 13th team? Ufiti chiyani? Now… Read more »
Manyazi agwire walter nyamiland manda ndi williams banda mbava.com
FAM and SULOM officials, please please do not kill soccer in Malawi like this. Please Mr. Nyamilandu, please, please you have done enough damage to the beloved game of footbal in Malawi. During your time, it has been problems after problems. Even zisankho, problems, problems, problems. Mr. Walter koma simukuchita manyazi? Kenako musewela nokhatu ma officials mpira. What is your problem, bwanji osangozisiya ena ayesepo.
thumbs up Dedza YSS, This means we he have good football administrators and what remain is opportunity. This should be a lesson to Sulom and FAM officials, if they can learn at all, that we don’t run football like a tuck shop or family business.
Am a keen follower of domestic football in Malawi though I am a supporter of a certain club I support the dicision taken by Dedza Young Soccer just to call it quits. Sometimes its not good to quallel with fools because other pipo will not notice the difference. Sulom guys are useless and even if you pump sense in them they will not take it. The only determining factors for a team to qualify are the accumulated points and goals scored. The issue of play-offs is a sign of biasness towards a cetain team of their preference. Shame on Sulom,… Read more »