NAM’s decision angers Malawi Queens: Deducts Fast5 allowances

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has angered Malawi Queens’s players for deducting their World Netball Fast Five Series tournament allowances without proper explanation.

The development has angered the players further, as some of them have warned not to honor the next call-up.

Each player was supposed to receive over K89, 000 for various allowances and game bonus, but Nam only gave the players K60,000 each deducting almost 29 thousands.

“They only gave us K60, 000 each for three games we won. They have deducted K10, 000 for a friendly match against South Africa and K19, 000 for training allowance. What kind of life is this? It seems we are used like hoes for some people to make money out of us,” one player told Nyasa Times.

They were 10 players that made the trip meaning each player was expected to get  K89, 000. Instead each player received K60,000, meaning an amount to K290,000 was deducted from the players.

Another player said they  have nowhere to complain since  NAM clique has created a system that cracks down on players who speak out; taking advantage of their desperation for national team call-ups that earn better at around K2 000 daily training allowance and for $50 (K24 000) daily foreign trip stipend.

“We opt to suffer in silence fearing that we  will be dropped in the next call-up. But now we have agreed that enough is enough if this behavior will not change we will not honour the next call-up. Where on earth can bosses go represent this nation for weeks and getting K60,000 as an allowance,” quizzed the player.

NAM has amassed so much power after changing the constitution to restrict voting to its executive committees, dormant netball committeechairpersons—even when netball in such areas barely exists, a source traced the root of the problem. Players and coaches, who bear the brunt, do not vote.

Article 14 of the NAM constitution says: “Each regional netball committee, the National Coaches Committee and the National Umpires Committee shall be represented at the association’s general meeting by the chairperson and secretary or their representatives appointed by their respective committees, and each shall be a voting delegate.”

However, NAM officials have already started making plans to postpone an Annual General Meeting which was supposed to take place next month in March, citing lack of funds as a scapegoat.