NAM’S desperate cry
Tiyende opanda malaya kuti adziwe tikufuna thandizo? [Should we march naked for them to know we need support?]” This was NAM president Rosy Chinunda’s desperate cry for Malawi Queens support yesterday ahead of the Fast5 World Netball Series in Australia next week.
With four days left before departure for the global contest, the national netball team has a deficit of K18 million on their K35 million budget and Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) seems to have no clue as to how they will source the shortfall, a development that might impact on players’ game bonuses, training and external allowances.
Organisers of the event have provided Queens with return air-tickets, accommodation and food, but the national team needs to fend for itself in terms of players’ allowances, training and paraphernalia.
Queens’ official sponsors Airtel Money pumped K14.4 million into the preparations before Illovo Sugar Company, Unicaf and Old Mutual added K2 million, K700 000 and K500 000, respectively but Chinunda believes more companies should have assisted considering the Queens’ status as the second best netball team in Africa and number six outfit in the world.
Government is also yet to provide its usual financial support to the Queens.
“People have a negative attitude towards netball and it is not surprising that only few companies have come in to help us. We officially approached many companies for support, but they are just quiet. They tend to approach us when the Queens are coming from competitions ,but that is not good,” Chinunda said.
“Moreover, we are yet to hear from the government through the Malawi National Council of Sports [MNCS] on how and when they will assist us. We are in a tight corner, but we will do everything possible to make the trip because we have already been provided with air-tickets,” said Chinunda.
Minister of Labour, Sports, Youth and Manpower Development Henry Mussa told The Nation yesterday he was yet to be briefed about the Queens’ deficit and he needed time to find out what was happening on the ground.
“I am hearing it from you that the Queens are yet to get government support. I need to find out from the system because, as you know, I am new on this portfolio,” Mussa said.
Nevertheless, MNCS executive secretary George Jana said they were set to discuss the deficit with NAM as we went to press.
“We have a meeting with NAM later today [yesterday] to appreciate how the shortfall has arisen. It is from this meeting that a decision will be made,” Jana wrote in his response to The Nation’s questionnaire on WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, Queens’ coach Griffin Saenda said the national team training is progressing well and he will come up with a final squad of 10 players within the week. A full squad of 21 players has been undergoing camp training for the past two weeks. n
