Clubs hail FAM on players’ contracts

Clubs and Football Players Association (FPA) have hailed FAM’s decision that players—whose contracts were due for expiry on December 31 this year—should run up to the end of the delayed season.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale said it is only fair that the contracts should automatically extend because clubs did not benefit from the players’ services following the suspension of football in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Now that the suspension has been lifted and the delayed season is set to start next month, the contracts that were due to expire at the end of the year will automatically extend unconditionally to May or June when the delayed season is expected to end.”

Nyasa Big Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga, whose club has some players with contracts expiring at the end of the year, said the decision is in the best interest of both the clubs and players.

He said: Players do not want to be jobless midway the season because clubs do not want to renew their contracts and the clubs also want to benefit from the services of the same players. So, it is a win-win situation.”

On his part, Silver Strikers chief executive officer Thoko Chimbali said: “It is a welcome development considering that players were getting monthly dues when there were no activities.

“Football is a game of fairplay and the players will have to play it fair with clubs by accepting the unconditional extension of their contracts.

“It makes more sense because the initial contracts were based on an assumption that the season would have been concluded by December.”

However, the Central Bankers boss said caution needs to be exercised “so that players’ rights are not infringed”.

FPA chairperson Jimmy Zakazaka described FAM’s decision as reasonable.

He said: “It is only fair that players should appreciate that they get paid for playing football and if the game was on suspension it means they were not providing the expected services to their employers who are the clubs.”