FAM in Standard Bank respect initiative
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has urged football stakeholders, especially fans, to embrace the association’s new initiative called ‘Respect’ to ensure success of the 2013 Standard Bank Knockout Trophy.
Without elaborating on how it will be implemented, FAM competitions officer Gomezgani Zakazaka on Friday said the association would expect stakeholders such as fans to stay within their mandate of simply offering their respective teams support from the terraces.
“As FAM, we are concerned and geared so that we should not lose this sponsorship. We have launched ‘Respect’ in the Standard Bank Knockout Trophy, calling on stakeholders to take a leading role to ensure there is no violence. Everyone involved in football should create a safe environment,”Zakazaka said at Sunbird Mount Soche.
“Players will be expected to work with their coaches and captains to allow the referees to manage games. For the administrators, they have to be mindful of what they say as whatever they say is regarded as an official position of the clubs. Fans’ role is to rally behind their teams.”
Zakazaka announced the initiative during of votes for unseeded teams to slug it out in the preliminary stages of the Standard Bank Knockout Trophy unveiling.
Of late, fans of civilian teams have been ganging against those of the Malawi Defence Force which they accuse of intimidation and rough play.
Mafco, Kamuzu Barracks, Epac
