Flames agenda under threat

Flames might pull out of crucial competitions including the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as government and FAM are involved in a blame-game on the responsibility of funding national team engagements.

This comes in the wake of government’s failure to increase the association’s allocation, which has been maintained at K70 million (about $175 000) against FAM’s proposed increment to K500 million (about $1.2m).

Also at stake is the employment of a permanent coaching panel and players’ demand for increment on their game bonuses.

Ministry of Youth and Sports principal secretary Alex Mseka on Thursday said it is high time FAM embarked on raising own funds to supplement government funding, but FAM president Walter Nyamilandu insists that elsewhere, it is government’s responsibility to finance national team engagements.

“We cannot fund every national team activity. If FAM wants to employ a permanent coach, government can assist, but they should also do their part to complement on our allocation. Government has so many responsibilities,” said Mseka.

Nyamilandu said if government fails to fund national team activities, then FAM will have no choice but to pull the Flames out of important events.

“When there is no money, they [government] always shift the blame to FAM. Nevertheless, we supplement national team engagements in so many ways from our business [sale of replica jerseys] and gate-takings. For instance, during the recent Flames friendly match against Botswana, we entirely funded everything to the tune of K7 million (about $17 500).

“In most cases, we also double game bonuses from K30 000 (about $75) to K60 000 (about $150) for each player. We even gave out more for the World Cup qualifier against Kenya,” said Nyamilandu.

He claimed that the K70 million allocation will affect their operations as it will be consumed within the next three months and that it will further affect their plans.

Nyamilandu also explained that the development will affect the employment of a permanent national team coaching panel because the government vote towards the cause still caters for the previous panel, which comprised Kinnah Phiri, Young Chimodzi and Jack Chamangwana, who have since been redeployed as regional coaches.

Last May, Mseka told The Nation that government would consider allocating the vote for coaches’ package to FAM through Sports Council, but in an interview on Thursday, Mseka changed his tune, saying FAM should still make do with their K70 million.

Asked how they will be paying the current caretaker coaches, Nyamilandu said: “We will still use the same allocation until it gets depleted.”

According to Sports Council administration manager Henry Mereka, allocations for both FAM and Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) are likely to remain at K70 million and K30 million (about $75 000) respectively.

This as well raises doubts if the Youth and Sports Minister Enoch Chihana’s pledge to double the Queens’ allowances from K15 000 (about $37.50) so as to tally with their Flames counterparts would be implemented.

NAM president Rosy Chinunda said she could not comment on the matter as they are yet to be communicated on their allocation.