Some top local athletes have come out of their shell to speak out against their continued exclusion from international events, citing the ongoing 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
In separate interviews, the athletes questioned the criteria used in the selection process, arguing that those that shine in national tournaments, are not considered when it is supposed to be the benchmark.
Some athletes who shone in national tournaments, but were not selected include Nalicy Chirwa, Brave Mwambande, Fostina Mbemba, Tereza Master, Anthony Matias, Kefas Kasiteni, Chikondi Mwanyali, Mercy Malembo and Mphatso Nadolo.
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The exclusion of these athletes, who have collectively ruled flagship local events such as the Blantyre Marathon, National Cross Country, Mzuzu Half Marathon and the Standard Bank Be More Race, also raised questions regarding the selection criteria from some quarters.
Mwambande, the reigning National Cross Country champion, said some of the athletes selected for the Commonwealth Games failed to impress in national competitions.
“It is sad that those that perform well at national level are always left out when it comes to international competitions. This is demotivating and bad for the sport,” he said.
On his part, Mwanyali who is attached to a South African athletics club, said he was called back in the country to process visa for the Commonwealth Games trip only to be told at the eleventh hour that he would not be part of the team.
“The sad thing is that I was called from South Africa. This is heartbreaking and unfair,” he said.
Another athlete Chirwa said she has been raising concerns over her continued exclusion from international competitions with the association’s officials to no avail.
She said: “I have raised this issue several times in the past, but no proper explanation has been given and it is frustrating,” she said.
“How can you continue working hard when you are aware that even if you are the best, you cannot be considered for an international tournament? This is very unfair and shameful on the part of the authorities,” she said.
But the Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) has backed the selection criteria.
In an interview, MOC secretary general Henry Sakala said the selection process went beyond good performance, emphasising that there are other factors that were taken into consideration by the selection committee which comprised officials from Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Athletics Malawi and MOC.
“Complaints from athletes who have not made the grade will always be there, but we base the selection on recommendation from the technical committee,” said the MOC general secretary.
Sakala said apart from performance, the selection criteria includes, attitude, behaviour and the potential to do well based in specific categories.
He said the process was conducted transparently, eliminating the possibility of foul play.
However, Athletics Malawi vice-general secretary Sentie Banda, who also serves as the association’s technical director, said the association is surprised that most of the athletes that the association recommended were not selected.
“We are equally surprised that some deserving names that we recommended to MOC were not considered for the Commonwealth Games. We are waiting for a report from the committee that vetted the final list to explain to us why some deserving names were not on the list,” he said.
The athletes that were selected for the Games were Amanda Khondowe, Asimenye Simwaka and Nathan Chisale.
When contacted on the matter, Simwaka said the powers to choose athletes for international tournaments rest with the authorities and that she has no idea on why other deserving athletes were left out.
“Officials can be in a better position to explain on how they come up with final list. Ask them,” she said.
Athletics analyst Emmanuel Mulonya, who is also former Athletics Malawi technical director, said Mwanyali deserved to be in the team because he is one of the best among the local crop.
“By all means, you take the best for such major competitions and the fact is that the best were left out,” he said.
