FAM takes Presidential Football Cup off calendar
FAM has struck off its 2015 calendar the K60 million Presidential Initiative for Sports (PIS) football tournament, months after deferring it indefinitely due to funding hitches.
FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda confirmed on Monday that the national competition, whose district phase was supposed to start last month, was subject to discussions with Sports Council, whose executive secretary George Jana insists there is nothing to discuss.
“We have not finalised our discussions with Sports Council, so as of now, we have taken it off our calendar until we find a solution. After that we may decide where to slot it on the calendar,” Nyirenda said about the competition which failed to take place last year on similar grounds.
Government has put its foot down as, while the money is reflected in the 2014/15 allocation for sports activities, FAM already spent the money to fund the Flames 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games in extra budgetary allocation after exhausting an initial annual K70 million funding.
Jana told The Nation recently that FAM decided to spend the money meant for the PIS on Flames, hence there was nothing to discuss, adding: “It is like withdrawing money from your bank account and going back to the same bank to complain that there is no money.”
Mafco were the champions when the PIS was last held in 2013. Mafco coach Stereo Gondwe on Tuesday said they were keeping fingers crossed on the tournament.
