MCC dismisses FAM’s claims on Mzuzu Stadium

Mzuzu City Council (MCC ) has described Football Association of Malawi’s (FAM) decision to suspend Mzuzu Stadium from hosting the 2016 Carlsberg Cup finals as a mockery to Carsberg Cup customers in the Northern Region.

FAM announced last Thursday that the venue for the finals had been shifted to Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre due to the poor condition of Mzuzu Stadium.

However, MCC, who own Mzuzu Stadium, dismissed FAM’s findings, saying Mzuzu Stadium is in a better state to host the final than Kamuzu Stadium.

Said the Council’s chief executive officer (CEO) Mcloud Kadam’manja: “We do not agree with their views that Mzuzu Stadium is in poor state. We have spent a lot of money repairing it in preparation for these finals and for them to tell people that the pitch is not in a playable state is a mockery not only to us but to also Carlsberg customers in the North.

He said the council pumped over K10 million between January and August in repairing the facility.

He also said FAM was just trying to find a scapegoat for shifting the match to their preferred venue.

“If they were serious, they should have provided funds for preparation of the pitch to their required standard. GOtv did that as a contribution for their event,” he explained.

Reacting to Kadam’manja’s claims, FAM competitions subcommittee chairperson Jabbar Alide insisted that they cannot risk taking such a big game to a venue that is in a poor state.

“Sponsors wanted the finals in Mzuzu, but the poor condition of the stadium forced us to change our plans. We cannot risk taking such a high-profile game to a stadium whose toilets are not operating, poor dressing room and a bumpy pitch,” he said.