Fam to revise loan rules

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says from next season it will introduce limitations on the number of players a club can sign on loan in a season.

FAM club licencing and compliance manager Casper Jangale said the association is planning to revise the regulations.

He said: “This is something that has to be corrected next season. FAM’s Players Status Committee will look into the issue. We need to follow the Fifa regulations.

“Fifa has actually amended the loan of players regulations which came into effect last year and we need to incorporate that aspect.”

The world football governing body’s regulations on the status and transfer of players Article 3.10 is clear on limitation on the number of loans per season between clubs.

The Fifa regulation reads: “A club may have a maximum of three professionals loaned out to a specific club at any given time during a season.

“ A club may have a maximum of three professionals loaned in from a specific club at any given time during a season.”

Besides limitation on the number of loans per season between the same clubs, the Fifa regulations further restrict loaned out players to maximum of six players per season.

However, FAM rules and regulations on loan of players adopted by Super Leageu of Malawi (Sulom), are silent on limitations.

Article 15.1 of the Super League regulations read: “Any player can be loaned to another club on the terms and conditions as agreed in writing between the two clubs.”

The impact of the failure to put a limit on a of players came in full swing recently after FCB Nyasa Bullets loaned out eight players to two TNM Super League clubs.

The TNM Super League champions loaned out Felix Demakude, Chikumbutso Salima, Rahaman John, Yamikani Mologeni, Chimwemwe Yassin, White Kisten, Mphatso Mageleta and Emmanuel Saviel to other topflight league sides.

Bangwe All Stars of Blantyre got in Salima, John, Mologeni, Yassin and Saviel while Ekwendeni Hammers of Mzimba got Demakude, Kisten and Magaleta.

Both Bangwe and Ekwendeni pleaded with Bullets to allow them feature the players in their TNM Super League fixtures against The People’s Team.

However, the parent club refused based on their loan agreement which stated that they cannot feature against the parent club.

After their losses to Bullets the two teams conceded that they could have done better if they had featured the players they signed on loan from Bullets.

Other leagues already follow the Fifa regulations to avoid this scenario.

In the English Premier League regulations state that clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time from other Premier League clubs.

The English Premiership rules loan of players read: “The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time.

“Premier League clubs cannot loan to another Premier League club a player they have acquired in the same transfer window.

“A Premier League club may loan not more than one of its goalkeepers to another Premier League club.”

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda said the introduction of the limitations is long overdue.

He said: “Sometimes we do things upside down. How can you allow one team to sign five players on loan?”