TNM warns on match disruptions
Super League sponsors TNM are not amused with the recent match abandonments and want Super League of Malawi (Sulom) to clear up the mess.
The warning follows the abandonment of the match between Moyale Barracks and Mafco at Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday.
The game ended prematurely in the 72nd minute when Mafco player Joseph Dosa assaulted referee Azizi Nyirenda for not awarding his team a penalty after Moyale defender Mtopijo Njewa handled the ball in the 18-yard box.
Mafco protested the red card and refused to continue playing, forcing the referee to end the match.
Just a week ago, a match between Max Bullets and Epac FC was also abandoned at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.
Max Bullets walked out of the field of play in protest against Epac’s controversial equaliser.
TNM sponsorship and public relations manager Limbani Nsapato said they expect Sulom to act with diligence on the incidents.
He said: “There are mechanisms within the football structures and systems of resolving such issues. I know teams are required to play under protest if they are shortchanged by decisions made by referees. Fans go to a match to watch for the entire 90 minutes. It is not the value of their money if they watch a match less than what they have paid for.
“We hope Sulom and other responsible authorities such as National Football Referees Association, will be able to get to the root cause of these acts so that we don’t see a repeat of such incidents.”
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the disciplinary committee had finalised the verdict on the Max Bullets vs Epac abandoned match.
“The verdict should be out tomorrow [Tuesday]. All the relevant reports were handed in and examined by the disciplinary committee,” he said.
Banda condemned the Mzuzu Stadium incident and said they would act once reports from referee and match assessor are submitted.
“But let me say that stiff punishments will be meted out to all teams that cause abandonment of a match,” he said.
“If a team has grievances, they are advised to play under protest and not to walk away from the match. That is unprofessional.”
Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda said the battle for the title and relegation survival is behind the recent abandonments as some teams do not want to accept the fact that they can lose a game.
However, he noted that referees’ questionable decisions are also contributing to the abandonment of matches, but said this does not justify teams’ walking way from matches. n
