FAM fortifies Charity Shield tickets
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has fortified security features on the entry tickets for the Chifundo Charity Shield match involving Nyasa Big Bullets and Kamuzu Barracks (KB) at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe this Saturday in a bid to curb counterfeits.
Previously, some unscrupulous people have tampered with FAM tickets to produce counterfeits, which were undetectable at the gates, but FAM commercial director Limbani Matola told The Nation yesterday they will not face such problems after enhancing the security features with holograms.
Holograms, which are also used to enhance security features of bank notes, are three-dimensional images formed by the interference of light beams from a laser or other coherent light source.
“This is the first time that we have decided to fortify the tickets with the holograms, which cannot be copied by the counterfeiters,” he said.
Matola said their confidence with the imported security features has prompted them to put the tickets on sale on Tuesday.
“The tickets are on sale through our major outlet FDH Bank and a few selected channels in Lilongwe, including Energem service stations at Area 23, Likuni and Kawale. Kafoteka Service Station, Area 25 Chipiku and Civo Stadium also have the tickets,” Matola said.
He added that revenue from the Charity Shield will be used to purchase physiotherapy equipment for patients at Kachere Rehabilitation Centre in Blantyre, and not BeitCure International Hospital as earlier indicated.
Meanwhile, Flames head coach Ronny van Geneugden is to reluctantly release Bullets and KB players who are in camp ahead of the 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier against Madagascar on April 22, according to Flames’ team manager Peter Mponda.
In the national team, Bullets has contributed Ernest Kakhobwe, John Lanjesi, Miracle Gabeya, Yamikani Fodya, Chimango Kayira, Dalitso Sailesi and Muhammad Sulumba whereas KB has provided Dave Banda, Lemani Nthala, Harvey Nkacha, Pempho Kansichiri and Manase Chiyesa.
“He [Geneugden] said he wanted to have ample time assessing the players but, still, he has accepted to release the players on condition that they would only be featured for at least 45 minutes each,” Mponda said.
Bullets coach Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan and KB general secretary Michael Chemaele expressed delight at the release of their players from the Flames squad, saying that will increase their chances of winning the Shield.
