Sulom whip Red Lions with K3.6m fine: 8 players suspended in Malawi Super League

May 14, 2015 Nyasa Times Reporter 64 Comments

A tough punishment has been meted out on Red Lions for violent conduct during their Super League games against Surestream in the TNM Super League which ended in a controversial two-all draw.

Red Lions players ready to face the home team
Red Lions players ready to face the home team

The punishment followed Malawi’s top league runners SULOM’s meeting of the disciplinary committee held on 13 May to come up with the verdict.

In the verdict Red Lions were slapped with a total of K3.6 million in fines for the club, eight players involved in assaulting referee Boniface Chipinga and their team doctor Gibson Langwe who was also involved in the fracas.

The eight players Lot Chawinga, Dickson Mbetewa Jr who were in the forefront have been suspended for 12 months not to play any game organised by Sulom.

Six other players  Boniface Kaulesi, William Chiumya, Mathews Simbeye, George Haule, Thomas Makaombwa and Sunganani Msiska have been banned from playing for six months.

SULOM said the six players suspended for six months could not escape the punishment despite Red Lions defending them because there was evidence that they took part in the fracas.

“Red Lions accepted the charges with reservations on six players (Boniface Kaulesi, William Chiumya, Mathews Simbeye, George Haule, Thomas Makaombwa and Sunganani Msiska) claiming that these six did not assault the referee.

“However, the overwhelming evidence that the committee received from different sources indicated that these six players did assault the referee with the other two players (Dickson Mbetewa Jnr and Lot Chawinga) being in the forefront of the assault,” reads the verdict in part.

Red Lions were also remorseful and apologetic for the uncalled for behaviour of its players, officials and supporters, and it has also taken disciplinary action on the players involved in the assault including measures to avoid a repeat of the ugly incidents.

“After considering the gravy of the matter and the response from Red Lions, the Disciplinary Committee has decided as follows:

“Red Lions is fined a total sum of K450,000 for failing to control the actions of its players, officials and supporters who assaulted the officiating personnel and the general public as stipulated in Article 21.3 Rules and Regulations of the TNM Super League. The club is given a serious warning for any improper conduct. If in the next two years it is involved in any misconduct of the same nature it risk being banned indefinitely .”

The Disciplinary Committee further decides that:

Dickson Mbetewa Jnr and Lot Chawinga have been banned from playing football under the auspice of SULOM for 12 months effective from the date of this letter for assaulting the Referee Boniface Chapinga as stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary code (Article 49.1.b). The two players are further fined K350,000.

Team doctor Langwe has been banned from the touchline and dressing room on any SULOM game for 12 months effective  13 May.

All the fines totalling to K3,600,000  are payable by Red Lions FC before its next fixture which is on 17th May 2015 and failure shall lead to forfeiture of points until the sums are paid or guarantees and sureties are deposited with SULOM.

SULOM also said remind clubs, officials, players and spectators have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in the game by ensuring that the laws of the game are adhered  to.

The match official’s decisions should also be respected to, promote fair play.

The Super League governing body has also said the  aggrieved party is free to appeal in accordance with existing rules and regulations of SULOM within 48 hours from the date of this letter.

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64 replies on “Sulom whip Red Lions with K3.6m fine: 8 players suspended in Malawi Super League”

  3. Red Lions imazoloweta kuopseza ma civilians Ku mpirera. Ngat mphamvu zimawachulukira angopita akapange za nkhonya. Maiko amzathu amamva kukoma akamaonera mpira mu Stadium koma ife timaonera kwinaku tili ndi nkhawa, choncho mpira suzakoma Ku Malawi kuno! B4ward Wanderers & Chelsea Fc 2015 more-fireeee……..

  6. SULOM don’t know how best to run super league,punishing teams is not the solution and expect more violence in the league,as far as you guys are busy extinguishing the flames of fire but not the very source of fire,you will never end violence in football.
    SULOM send officials in every game,why? they are supposed to be monitoring the game so that if the ref is not ok,something better should be done otherwise bad effects come out of it just like the RED LIONS game,ref throughout the whole game clearly showed that he will spoil the good game,violence was the result. Ngati mwawerenga this comment,please understand the sense and change bcoz this is the only way to end violence not using shasha,chipuwa,simkonda,fischer pa sewero la mwachande ayi.

  7. In other countries the Military just provides for one team in the elite league why do we have many army teams in Malawi? Sulom answer me please.Do they want round two?

  8. What sanctions are Sulom going to impose on those hooligans captured on camera forcing their entry into the stadium without paying and going to smash a Red Lions FC bus? Kodi nchifukwa ninji zipolowe zimakhalapo ikakhala kuti timu ya asilikari ikumenya ndi matimu a ku Blantyre (kupatula BB ndi Be Forward Mighty Wanderers)? Pali kanthu apa!

  9. Tiya Somba Banda how about the referee who was the source of problem why leaving him scot free. Are you trying to sanction him to continue making silly officiation grave mistakes

  11. The problem is the ban, am not sure wat the outcome will be after appealing. For sure apatsidwa 12 months wo akhala pa 6 months, a six wo akhala pa zero. Verdict: the ban is insufficient!

  12. Standard 7 chaps! kkkkkkkk akavala coumoughlage ngati zenizeni alibe nyota agalu awo kkkkk

  13. Ngakhale nkhope zawozo pa fot yi zikuchita kuoneka kuti ndi mbuli zosalowa mkalasi. Ma standard 7 kapena ngati anayesela 8 basi. fotseki

  14. Nanga mwana anamenyedwa osalakwa mumutani nayeso athandizidweso, please a Sulom muthandizen Goefully Mwale

  15. Agalu inu, munya muona. Mwayamba kuluza kale ndi KB. Mzimu wa Geof Mwale, wakwiya. Chaka chino waku msenjere league. IDIOTS.

  16. Its malawians who wil pay that fine thru their taxes. These military outfits consume our taxes palibe chabwino

  17. Where is a Malawi Army GI or even a non-commissioned officer going to get that of money to pay the fine? It’s not like they have fat bank accounts or that they can get a loan from a bank. So, the money is likely to come from our taxes. Kalanga ine!
    And is there severe punishment for failing to pay the fines?
    And one more thing: the ref. should have an option to sue the thugs, as they were not performing nation protection work; and the individual in the hospital as a result of his injuries, should consult a lawyer real quick!

  19. Honestly I was thinking of a minimum of a ban for the whole team and not just individual players. That money will just benefit sulom and not the game of football. They deserve a full season ban after which they should be relegated to the lower league or else they will do this again as money is not a problem considering they are well funded

  21. Ife takhala tikunena asilikaliwa akhale ndi ligi yawoyawo adzitibulana kumeneko wokhawokha.

  22. These animals (lions) have to be kept in cage. Who released these creatures so that they visited the pitch?

  23. its very sad. This will entirely kill the appetite of football. players and clubs should learn to hold their fire. another indirect pasavute on Red Lion.

  25. Taziwonani zimitu zitsiruzi nkukhala asilikali! very stupid people indeed shame on you. ndimatupi asilikali amenewa…zitsiru inu….

  28. Mpira si zipolowe ayi km cisangalalo inu asulomu simunalakwe ntchimo kuzuza ocitayo

  32. Basi kachibalo kake komweka. Awa amafunika ban ya ten yrs, akayambe boxing azikamenyana zibindula,zikwapa kumeneko kaya azikakomolana komweko. Cholinga cha TNM ndikutsangalasa ma customer awo osati umve wauchi fwamba.

  34. Ndikanakhala ine army commander ndikanangolamula kuti matimu onse a army amene ali mu super league kuyambira lero asiya kusewera ndipo ndawathesa.

  36. How many army teams in the super league? Deploy these guys to joint nightly patrols with Police. Learn from Rwanda: That tranquil land of a thousand hills!

    Peace precedes development. Put the MDF to greater public good please.

  39. No deduction of points as was the case with silver strikers and nomads. Silly decision to say the least

  42. All the Super League Football Teams should learn a lesson from what has happened to Red Lions players. Take heart whenever or whatever has happened during the game in the pitch follow the procedures and right protocals to surender the the complaint to SULAM or FAM rather than starting the fracs and assaulting the officiating panels you might feel the consequences

  44. Pliz!! Chifukwa chopitiliza kumenya anthu kunja kwa Stadium, anthu akuthawa mpakana kufika mu Chipembere Highway, Ma Reds akangopanga appeal, Pliz, Sulom wonjezelani chilango. This will send a good warning to all Army Teams in Malawi. Kodi inu a Malawi Army mumazitama bwanji?

  47. Useless FAM. I now believe what people have been saying all along. Ban Red Lions football team for life. Others will learn from that and we wont go back revisiting same thing. Believe you me the bulutus from other similar teams will be at it again. Ban Red Lions NOW!!!!!

  48. Very very very good reaction by SULOM. This should serve as a deterrent to other hooliganistic clubs and football fans. Being in the military does not mean you should act like thugs. These guys have not even been in a war before but they they think they are like the Marines, or the Rangers or the Navy Seals.

    Dunderheads and brutes. real soldiers are disciplined not these thugs! All they know is peacekeeping not real battle-warfare. Real soldiers in the Malawi Army fought in the Mocambican civil war defending the Malawi Railways train wagons between Nacala-Nayuchi and Limbe. One of them was my Uncle, May his soul rest in peace. Red Lions were then also fun to watch with Collins Thewe in the middle of the park, in a beautiful green uniform.

    These thugs, camouflaged as today’s Malawi Defence Force should have their own league. After all, they have so many clubs like Airborne Rangers etc. As if they can even go airborne.

    Red Lions, I mean you the likes of Dick Mbetewa Jr et al? Do you know that the elders that came before you, the Wilfred Nyalugwes, etc were also hit with a very lenghty ban after being involved in hooliganism with then Bata Bullets at then BAT Ground?

    They should have told you so.

    Now you can go back to show-off your so called muscles running in the streets of Zomba and thereafter drinking Chibuku-Shake Shake at the White House before looking for “night-callers” at 3 miles. Leave football to us.

  49. Expelling them would save future generations from thuggish behaviour from the men in uniform

  51. Zomvetsa chisoni, pamene tikumema anthu ambiri kuti azipita kukawonera mipira, ena m’kumawathamangitsanso. Chigamulo chili bwino, palibenso chifukwa chopangira appeal. Akhaule ndithu. Anyozetsa dzina la dziko lathu.

  52. Just eject them form the league. These guys started misbehaving a long time ago. Even during Kamuzu Banda days. I remember a group of Chiwoko players attacked fans at Lilongwe Community Ground in 1986. One of the players was King.

    Zex Lajabu was threatened to attacked by the same players n one of the games. He had to climb over the wall soon after the game because of these ruffians.

  53. The team apart from being fined should have faced points deduction as well to set a good warning to other teams!

  54. Excessive punishment to the club. Let the players feel the pain of this punishment by paying their fines rather than punishing the club. Red Lions should only pay MK 450,000 it has been fined

  55. Basi team yatha iyi. Koma its good because ma team akuyenera kudziwa kuti discipline is vital in every sport. Kukanakhala kwa azungu, this was going to be the end of their careers, koma poti nku Malawi chonchobe

  56. chilango chachepa ichi.

    Amaputa ndeu kudalira gulu , ndinaona msilikali akuthawa ndeu

  58. Kodi a Red Lions amapezamo mphindu lanji mu mpilamu? Osangozisiya bwanji. Nanga ma officials awapanga chani? kukana zigoli zitatu ndikupereka ma penalty awiri ndiye inu mumati anzanu asakwiye.

  60. Army players should choose between playing football and going to war in different parts of Africa including guarding our Lake Malawi against Tanzania. Alternatively, they should never be partaking in civilian organised events where they don’t fit! They are a shame to both their Commander-in-Chief and the nation they pledged to defend. They should also have been tasked to take responsibility of looking after the victim who is battling for his life at Queens!

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