Hockey lands K1.2m FMB sponsorship

Hockey Association of Malawi (HAM) has secured a K1.2 million sponsorship from FMB for Eleven-A-Side and Six-A-Side leagues in the Southern Region.

FMB made the commitment at its head office in Blantyre on Friday when the bank’s general manager for finance Lucas Kondowe presented a dummy cheque to HAM president Tochi Gill.

Also present at the function were HAM general secretary Krishna Achuthan and executive member Duncan Gumbi.

Kondowe said their support comes in response to recent accomplishments the sport has made in the region, including Genetrix hockey club’s winning of the five-team Phoenix Assurance Hockey Championships in Lusaka, Zambia, a few months ago.

“We have noted that many Malawians are now playing hockey and they are becoming successful on both local and international stages. This is the first time to support hockey and we are going to do this annually,” said Kondowe.

Gill thanked FMB, which also sponsors Southern Region Cricket League and Under-20 Football League, for the timely support, saying it will boost the morale of the sport in the country.

“We are overjoyed at this support and we are hoping to have a long relationship with the bank. We have few sponsors and the coming in of FMB has added some glamour to our beloved sport,” he said.

According to Gill, the competition will kick off next week and will have the men’s and the ladies’ categories. He said the Eleven-A-Side League will take 60 percent of the sponsorship while the Six-A-Side league will use the 40 percent.

He said the games will be conducted at Blantyre Sports Club and Country Club Limbe. The champions will qualify for the African Club Championships in either Egypt or Kenya in November.