D-Day for Malawi Queens
- Queens’ participation at the 2015 Africa Netball Championship in limbo
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Rosy Chinunda has refused to completely rule out the Queens’ participation at the 2015 Africa Netball Championship which throws off this Sunday in Botswana.
“We have sought the help of the sports minister [Grace Chiumia] and she has promised to look into it. If there is nothing by 6 pm today [yesterday], then we will inform the organisers that we will not go,” Chinunda.
Malawi’s absence in Botswana could hurt the number one Africa ranking for the team as the International Netball Federation (INF) would use the continental event when revising the next rating.
Missing the Africa championship would translate to more than eight games skipped for the Queens who in Botswana were set to supposed to face defending champions South Africa (certainly twice), Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Kenya and Namibia.
NAM, according to Chinunda, submitted a budget of K150 million covering expenses for Diamond challenge, the Africa cup and World Cup to be staged in Australia this August.
Chinunda said the last gasp shifting of the Africa tournament from Namibia has posed serious logistical challenges to NAM. The Queens surrendered the Africa crown to rivals South Africa at the Blantyre Youth Centre in 2013.
Coach Peace Chawinga-Kalua has since confirmed that New Zealand-based Mwawi Kumwenda will join camp next week ahead of the World Cup in Australia in August this year.
“I am wishing Mwawi Kumwenda all the travelling mercies as she comes back to join her friends in camp next week,” said Chawinga-Kalua in an e-mail interview.
Meanwhile, lack of money forced Uganda to pull out of the Africa Cup.
