Sports bodies told: stop waiting on govt, start earning your own money

Malawi’s sports associations have been told to stop leaning so heavily on government handouts and start hustling for their own cash — with a stark warning that funding could soon be tied to results.

Jim Kalua, board chairperson of the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), delivered the message at a capacity-building workshop for sports administrators in Lilongwe, as the council reviews how it hands out subventions to member associations.

“Sports is serious business now”

Kalua didn’t mince his words. Government money, he said, will never stretch far enough to cover everything associations need.

“The money that government provides may not always be enough. These days sports is serious business and so sports associations should be vigilant in finding their own ways of generating revenue,” he told Nyasa Times.

He went further, taking aim at those using sports administration for personal gain.

“Let me also emphasize that sports administrators should not come into sports with the aim of enriching themselves. They should also not come into sports to do politics. Let them serve the nation with the aim of developing sports in the country,” he said.

Should funding follow results?

The call for financial independence has sparked debate over how the limited pot of government money should be divided in the first place.

Analyst Casper Jangale argued MNCS should rank associations by how likely they are to succeed on the international stage — and fund them accordingly.

“Funding should be equated to potential for success. If for example cricket is showing more potential to win trophies on the international stage, let them get a bigger chunk from government,” he suggested.

About MNCS

Established under Act No. 10 of 1974, the Malawi National Council of Sports sits at the centre of Malawi’s sporting landscape, coordinating between government and sports bodies.

It is the country’s apex authority for developing, promoting, encouraging and controlling all forms of sport.