Wanderers cancels demo: Sulom cancels replay match
Mighty Wanderers FC on Saturday cancelled their planned peaceful demonstrations pending for Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and National Sports Council response following their appeal on the ban handed to them by Super League of Malawi (Sulom).
The demonstrations were slated for Saturday from their clubhouse in Chichiri all the way to the Sanjika Palace to petition the Head of State Joyce Banda’s intervention into the ban.
Sulom handed the Nomads a five months ban and fines following violences that occurred in their match against Silver Strikers in Balaka where one supporter Limius Joster lost his life.
Speaking to the gathering of Nomads fans at their club house, the club’s general secretary David Kanyenda informed that the replay match which was ordered by Sulom between Wanderers and Silver had been cancelled following their appeal to FAM and Sports Council.
“They asked to meet us on a round table slated for Wednesday in Blantyre to review the whole punishment. We also got some calls from high profile people in the society to assure us that they will intervene on the matter,” said Kanyenda.
However, the Nomads fans stressed during the meeting that if the ban will remain after interventions from other bodies they will go ahead with the demonstrations.
Sulom confirmed it postponed the replay match between Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers which was scheduled for Sunday at Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo, Chikhwawa.
During the abandoned match, Silver Strikers were on course to defend the title with as they were leading 1-0.
Sulom General Secretary Williams Banda said: “All stakeholders will be informed and advised on the developments accordingly.”
The impasse is threatening to send the country’s football into confusion.
Silver wants Fam to investigate the team’s eight month ban after two of their supporters are allegedly held responsible for the fracas which also left scores of fans injured.
Wanderers secretary on the other hand said the club would do all it can to seek justice on the matter.
“Sulom have completely failed as the body and we do not see the need to appeal to them,” said Kanyenda.
“After all they are an interested party as the Police report on the violence in Balaka also faults them.
“We then wonder how we can be properly heard by a body that is also to blame for the violence.
“And even though the verdict faults Silver Strikers for inciting violence we are being severe punished for someone else’s sins.”
The Sulom president, Innocent Bottomani, was quoted by BBC that the issue needed Fam’s intervention as it has reached a crisis point.
“I can confirm that the game which was set to be replayed on Sunday has been cancelled because of the letter of appeal from Silver Strikers to Fam,” he said.
“Looking into the contents of the appeal [to Fam] we have actually decided to first look at that issue. We would like to hear their grievances first and can then fix the game.”
