FA Malawi withdraws from all international competitions over financial woes
Football Association of Malawi during its executive committee held in Lilongwe on Saturday resolved to withdraw the senior national team from participating in Africa Cup of Nations and Africa Championship Cup due to financial problems.
“Having considered all the available options, and in accordance with required notices for withdrawal, it was further resolved that the Malawi National Senior Football team be withdrawn from CHAN Competition by 31st March, and from AFCON by 30th April 2017, due to lack of funding,” reads a statement posted on its website, signed by Chief Executive Officer Alfred Gunda.
FAM made the resolution following a shocking announcement by the government through the Minister of Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Henry Mussa that it would not be able to provide funding to employ the national team expatriate coach.
“FAM would like to advise the general public and all its stakeholders that, after comprehensive discussions during the meeting, it was resolved as follows: The immediate recruitment of the Malawi National Senior Football team coach be suspended until such a time that Government has adequate resources to fund such recruitment and also for the reasons that the current huge gaps and shortfalls of our Senior National Football team can only be addressed through recruitment of a well-trained and highly experienced expatriate coach,” reads the statement.
FAM said it would instead with funding from FIFA and CAF would intensify and dedicate all its efforts and resources towards football development programs with emphasis on coaching, grassroots and youth football.
“FAM will recruit a highly qualified and experienced Director of Football to lead these development programs. It is expected that the Director of Football is going to fully develop the game at the grassroots and youth level so that a strong Under 15, Under 17 and Under 20 National Football Team can be developed.
“These are expected to feed in the Senior National Football team as and when funding becomes available. It is further expected that the Director of Football is going to train and capacitate our local coaches for them to take over able responsibility for the Senior National Football team as and when it becomes active,” it reads in part.
The association said was fully aware of the negative implications including fines and suspension such withdrawal may attract.
“However, in its consideration, such withdrawal and its negative implications cannot be avoided looking at the current level of desperation that the Senior National Football team is in terms of funding and overall support.”
The development comes after the midterm budget review slashed the initial K2 billion budget allocated to Ministry of Youth, Sports and Manpower Development to a meagre K800 million which a hot debate in Parliament.
I blame FAM and SULOM. According to the article “Super League grosses K420.5mil: BB gets 27% of teams share – See more at: http://www.nyasatimes.com/super-league-grosses-k420-5mil-bb-gets-27-teams-share/#sthash.5qqKwqbL.dpuf” Sulom and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) got 55.8%, which is K231million. FAM has not accounted for their share of this money. Apart from sending Walter to Europe to eat the money. The rest they “SOCCER-GATED”. RIP Malawi Football.
Koma Boma kuti alipemphe kuli lipeze anthu okuti aziba chimanga ndiye funding osasowa. Sport is sport and it has to be funded no matter what. This is so sad a nd sinister. Thats why I still cry for Kamuzu Banda. Regardless of any perfomances he continued to fund sports football inclusive so that the youth should always have things to do and watch. Apa sibasi mukuwapatsa mpata ana azingokhalila zigololo basi.
Useless government thieves. God should punish you old folks
Withdraw or not i see no different.Flames is no more existing.
Tangotengani zomwe munapeza kwa Chapondazo. Nanga zikugwira ntchito yanji?
And FAM should be dissolved as well
FAM has announced its decision to withdraw the senior team from international competitions well in advance to attract public sympathy and hence force government to provide the needed funds. That’s a good strategy. However, the recruitment of an expatriate coach is not a good decision. Such a coach would need a lot of resources in terms of salary and other benefits as well as money with which to develop the game. If we are unable to find money for the senior team to participate in international competitions, where will we get the money to support the expatriate coach’s initiatives??? Given… Read more »
Although this is a sad news to hear, every well-meaning Malawian knows very well that as a country we don’t get any tangible benefits (if at all there are some) from participating in such football competitions apart from FAM officials and others pocketing a lot of million kwachas in allowances. It is an undeniable fact that Malawi is going through tough economic situations and giving priority to important things that could benefit a common man is the only option. And I would love FAM officials could go further with their decision by completely disbanding FAM so that we only remain… Read more »
Good decision Walter and FAM and I applaud it in totality. This DPP government is very stupid and doesn’t have good priorities for the youth and country. Peter Mutharika fails to approve the remuneration package for the expatriate coach and yet his cabinet ministers are stocking money in their houses,money stolen from tax payers-isn’t this hypocrisy? Why is it that any matters concerning the youth are given a blind eye by this administration? With mediocre coaching standards in Malawi at present, can anyone expect a local coach to develop football? The likes of John Kaputa have been Technical advisers for… Read more »
While our neighbours Zambia are investing in football we are busy letting down the youth. Zambia under 20 has just won afcon can’t we copy a leaf from our friends?
A Fam Mwanyanyala? You could have recruited a local coach to keep things going. Half a loaf is better than none