Hockey team needs K22m for TZ tourney

The Malawi national hockey team has stepped up its preparations for the inaugural President’s Cup to be hosted in Arusha, Tanzania from February 19 to 27.

However, the Hockey Association of Malawi (HAM) has said it needs about K22 million for the team to take part in the event which will attract 11 teams from across the continent namely the Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Botswana, Cote d’ Ivoire, Burundi, Morocco, Libya, Mali and Niger.

HAM vice-president Krishna Achuthan said the winner of the tournament will qualify for the Africa Nations Hockey Cup where they will join the continent’s elite seven nations which are South Africa, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

“We have come up with a budget proposal of K22 million and we expect a portion of which to be met by the Malawi National Council of Sports. As for the remainder, we have broken it down into four parts so as to make it easier for potential partners in the private sector to choose which area they would partner us,” said Achuthan.

“For those that wish to partner us, the benefit is that whatever, they choose to sponsor be it uniforms or equipment, it will be branded.”

Achuthan said the team will travel by road to Arusha on February 12.

Commenting on the preparations, team manager Kundai Mbawala said the first aspect covered physical fitness in which the squad was drilled by an expert from College of Medicine Sports Complex Cathrew Chimimba.

“We started training on November 7 last year before a two-week festive season break. We train during weekends, the focus has now switched to system of play and I would say so far, so good,” he said.

Mbawala said initially, they had a squad of 30, “but we have started trimming gradually. The plan is to travel with 18 players, but we have proposed that we should have two more in case of fatigue since we will travel by road”.

He also said although some players failed to turn up for training, all the key players are available. The team coach is Godfrey Biya who is being assisted by Allan Pinheiro. n