FAM seeks JB’s help

FAM has said it has submitted a special request to President Joyce Banda to consider their K115 million budget for next month’s senior and junior national team engagements.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu made the disclosure yesterday, saying they took advantage of the presidential function involving Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers at Sanjika Palace on Monday evening to advance their cause.

FAM is facing a race against time in the countdown to the Flames’ clash with Chad in the  2015 Africa Cup of Nations second preliminary round first leg slated for May 17 as well as the second-round first leg qualifier of the Under-20 CAF Youth Championship tie between the Junior Flames and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on May 10.

According to Nyamilandu, the Flames need K75 million (US$178 571) for the games against Chad and K40 million (US$95 238.1) for the Junior Flames’ engagements against DRC.

“We submitted a special request on Monday and we are hopeful that it will be looked into favourably and looking at the goodwill that she has shown, it looks promising,” said Nyamilandu.

Nyamilandu said they do not have an alternative in the event that it does not work out with the President.

“But we are banking on the fact that we were given the first tranche for the junior national team with an assurance that funding for the second round, would be made available.

“As for the senior team, we do not have money. We are in red and we are banking solely on the Head of State and we have no reason to doubt that she will not help us. We are also mindful that the games are important in that they will be played just before the tripartite elections and when the tension is high, we will have a wonderful opportunity to reduce the tension,” he said.

Nyamilandu also admitted that with the tripartite elections around the corner, they are aware that resources will be channelled towards that cause, “but life has to continue and critical sectors need to be funded.”

However, Sports Council executive secretary George Jana yesterday said he is yet to get FAM’s request for funding. He said the only communication his office had was the association’s commitment that it would find ways of sourcing funding for the senior team.

In her speech on Monday, the President said in passing that she would arrange a special day to meet FAM.