FAM orders clubs to ensure supporters to adhere to CoVID-19 measures
Following the altercations that happened last Wednesday between fans prior to and during the last FDH Bank Cup quarterfinal encounter between hosts Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets in Lilongwe that led to some of the supporters badly assaulted, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) reminds all football stakeholders that under Malawi Government CoVID-19 measurers football is being played without fans.
Thus the football governing body, orders that “it is the responsibility of clubs to take all the necessary precautions to ensure their supporters do not turn up at match venues,” reads in part a statement issued on Friday.
With emotions high prior to the game, some Bullets fans were involved in the altercations with alleged Silver fans that is reported to have happened at Bwandilo — a stone throw away from Silver Stadium, venue of the quarterfinal match.
FAM says it “has noted with great concern the unsporting behaviors displayed by supporters” during the match at Silver Stadium, “which included beating, bullying and intimidation of opponents and match officials.”
It said this created a “hostile atmosphere at the stadium [and] brought the game of football, name of sponsor and FAM into disrepute”.
“We condemn the acts in strongest terms. FAM would like to assure the sponsors and other stakeholders that it has received relevant match reports and appropriate decisions and actions will be taken to protect and promote the image of football in Malawi,” says the statement.
However, Silver Strikers FC distances itself away from any of the “unsporting behaviours” — maintaining that altercations happened away from their stadium but at the entertainment hub of Bwandilo.
Silver Strikers FC issued a public response on Saturday following a media report of condemnation of the violence published by the country’s giant media house, The Daily Times with a headline ‘War zone at Silver Stadium.” — published on Friday, August 20.
The headline irked the Bankers, who responded by condemning it a a “misleading, negative, insensitive but also disturbingly barbaric and brutal” reporting.
Silver’s public statement said: “It should be made unequivocally clear that Silver Strikers FC is responsible for event happening within the club’s premises and not the sorrounding community. Therefore, our proximity to Bwandilo, which is an entertainment area, does not qualify us to be related to ugly scenes happening there on any day including a match day.”
But this is in sharp contrast to the reports that reached FAM to condemn the unsporting behaviours in which the football governing body says it is investigating the events from the relevant match reports received that will lead to appropriate decisions and actions being taken.
During the FDH Bank Cup quarterfinal, Silver won 4-2 on post match penalties after 2-2 stalemate in regulation. The visitors scored first through Hassan Kajoke in the 4th minute before the Bankers’ Stain Davie equalized in the 35th.
The Bullets then led again in the 49th through Zicco Mkanda but Davie was on target again in the 65th — taking the match in post match penalties, in which the visitors missed two from four kicks while the Bankers missed once to carry the day at 4-2.
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