Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya has dismissed assertions that the association plans to push for a motion to dissolve Super League of Malawi (Sulom) at its annual general meeting on June 27 in Salima.
As preparations for the AGM gather momentum, reports have emerged suggesting that delegates could discuss possible sanctions against Sulom following its decision to proceed with the FDH Bank Premiership launch match at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre despite FAM declaring the venue unfit for elite football matches.
| Courtesy of FAM
The failure to stop the launch resulted in FDH Bank plc temporarily suspending all sports sponsorships worth about K7.5 billion, before later reversing the decision after apologies from FAM, Sulom, Malawi National Council of Sports and Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
The Nation sources confided this week that Haiya met with Southern Region Football Association chairperson Dailes Kachala, Northern Region Football Association chairperson Masiya Nyasulu, Central Region Football Association chairperson Goodal Chinjoka, Eastern Region Football Association chairperson Issa Ibrahim and National Women’s Football Association treasurer Winnie Nyondo in Area 10, Lilongwe to discuss Sulom’s fate.
But in an interview yesterday, Haiya said the meeting was not about Sulom’s dissolution.
He said: “Ordinarily, whenever I invite affiliates to a FAM function, I take time to meet them.
“On this occasion, I further extended the invitation for them to escort me on a visit to Chinjoka’s wife, who is currently bedridden.”
But after the failed league launch, Haiya during a press briefing indicated that the association would summon Sulom.
Sulom president Gilbert Mittawa in an interview yesterday refused to comment.
He said: “May be you can ask FAM about the plans to dissolve Sulom as we don’t know anything. Or, you can ask those who attended the meeting as to what their plans are.”
According to FAM statutes, an affiliate may be removed for defying the motherbody’s direct order.
Article 13 of the statutes states that every affiliate of FAM has the following obligations: “to be loyal to FAM, meaning, in particular, that the affiliate must abstain from any actions contrary to the interests of FAM; to comply fully with the Statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of Fifa, CAF, Cosafa and FAM at all times”.
Affiliates are also expected to ensure that the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of Fifa, CAF and Cosafa and FAM are respected by its own affiliates, clubs, officials and players.
The statutes also call for affiliates “to observe the principles of loyalty, integrity and good sporting behaviour as an expression of fair play through a statutory provision”.
Article 13.2 further states that any violation of the above obligations by any affiliate may lead to sanctions provided in FAM statutes.
Article 14 specifically provides procedure for suspension of an affiliates.
It states that the general assembly is responsible for suspending an affiliate due to a violation of its obligations.
However, the FAM executive committee may also suspend an affiliate that seriously violates its obligations as an affiliate with immediate effect.
But the suspension shall last until the next general assembly, unless the executive committee has lifted it in the meantime, according to the statutes.
If FAM decides to suspend Sulom before the assembly, it will have to be confirmed at the June AGM by two-thirds majority of the votes taken.
In a notice addressed to affiliates and signed by FAM general secretary Abdulrahman Chiwalo, Sulom will have eight delegates at the meeting while the four regional football associations will each have six delegates.
National Women Football Association and Beach Soccer Association will each have two delegates.
The notice further states: “According to Article 27, the MAs exercise their voting rights through their official delegates who will also take part in debates of the AGM.
“Each official delegate has a single vote and may not represent more than one member association.”
