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First Instant Body (FIB), the committee entrusted to review club licensing requirements by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), has told TNM Super League clubs to rework their submissions.
FAM club licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale said in an interview yesterday that the decision was made during a meeting on Saturday after going through the documents.
He said the committee will meet again this Saturday to make final determinations.
Said Jangale: “The FIB established that none of the teams met the requirements in full and there was need for clarification in some areas on the part of the clubs.
“So, we have written the teams to rework their documents and they have up to close of business on Friday to do the needful.”
He said among others, the FIB noted that some clubs did not include copies of contracts of their coaches and, in some cases, players.
“There was also no proof from the players that they are not owed anything by their respective clubs and this too needed to be clarified,” said Jangale.
He also said some teams did not submit proof of players’ medical cover.
“There were also some clubs that submitted financial statements without auditors reports,” said Jangale.
The FAM official also said one submission from one of the teams indicated that their youth team coach gets less than the minimum government wage.
Football analyst Humphrey Mvula hailed the FIB for its decision, saying it will ensure that the club licensing requirements are met in full.
He said: “The decision to return the clubs’ submissions was perfect and that’s how it should be. We should not tolerate half measures if we are to realise our dream of turning our clubs into full commercial entities.
“So, let them meet all the criteria. In the same vein, Sulom [Super League of Malawi] must meet the requirements because there is no way you can have a regulator of clubs without meeting the set criteria.”
However, Mvula said the grace period given to the clubs is inadequate.
“They should have been given a bit of more time, possibly up to the end of the month,” he said.
Unlike in the past, this time clubs will not be given provisional licences if they fail to meet the requirements in full.
The six criteria of club licensing are sporting, infrastructure, administrative and personnel, financial, legal and business and commercial.
The FIB is headed by High Court of Malawi Judge Allan Muhome with Trouble Kaluwa as the vice-chairperson. The other members are Cuthbert Mnyenyembe, Maxwell Mtonga and Benjamin Kumwenda.
