Calm returns to Bullets: Nyasa sponsorship back, take over on
Malawi cigarette manufacturing company Nyasa has said it resuming a K500 million (about $728 000) sponsorship deal with the country most prestigious football team, Big Bullets after confusion, chaos and controversy that engulfed the club has been calmed.
Rumours of a takeover of the People’s Team by Nyasa Manufacturing Company (NMC) continue to be rife.
Meanwhile, Nyasa executive director Dimitri Kalaitzis said there is no worry about the sponsorship, saying the company will continue to bankroll the club.
He also welcomed the return of trustees’ chairperson James Busile and Secretary Jim Kalua to the board and all others.
Nyasa has also been encouraged by the Nyasa Big Bullets main supporters committee statement withdrawing its threats as well as apologised to the sponsor.
Kalaitzis said the welfare of the players remains their priority.
“This is why we were deeply distressed by the wrongful assumption that we had withheld players’ salaries before we announced that we were suspending the sponsorship until internal wrangles were resolved.
“We wish to assure all Bullets players, supporters and the general public that we are committed to this sponsorship partnership and we are in this marriage with the People’s Team for the long run,” he said when he spoke to players at their training base in Blantyre.
Bullets supporters committee chairperson Stone Mwamadi confirmed the aopology to the sponsors for “ unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Bullets who command the biggest fan base spread throughout the tiny and soccer-mad southern African nation, has been without sponsorship for nine years since former president Bakili Muluzi sponsored them for two years when Nyasa rescued them.
Most of the 16 teams in Malawi’s poorly-run amateur super league are sponsored by the Army, Police and government. The rest are owned by private clubs.
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