Coca-Cola closes loopholes

Carlsberg Malawi Limited and Malawi Schools Sports Association (Massa) have introduced registration cards with identity photos for participating players in the forthcoming Copa Coca-Cola School Challenge as one way of curbing cheating.

This comes after complaints in the past that some schools featured non-students in the competition.

According to Carlsberg senior brands manager non-alcoholic, Brenda Chilima, using non-school-going players defeats the essence of the competition.

“The essence of the competition is to identify, nurture and expose grass-roots talent from secondary school.

“But it turned out that schools prioritised winning; hence, used outsiders. So we decided, with Massa, to come up with the registration forms as it happens with the Super League and other football leagues in the country to ensure only eligible secondary students take part in the competition,” she said.

The players will fill in a form which will have a school’s official stamp with their photographs and be verified by Massa officials before games.

Massa vice-general secretary Evance Sulani said so far, the process looks successful as registration has started in the zones.

Chilima also officially announced the change of the format at national finals where division champions—individual schools—will go to the finals and not a divisional select as was the case in the past eight years.

“Even for the abroad camping, we will be sending a national select. Each of the six divisions will contribute players to make a 36-player squad for a local camp training from which a 20-player squad will be selected for the overseas trip,” she said.

The competition will be launched next Saturday at the Zomba Community Centre ground.