JBF tourney finally kicks off
The mist surrounding the K100 million (about $250 000) Joyce Banda Foundation (JBF) Inter-constituency Football and Netball tournaments has finally been cleared following the commencement of the competitions at the weekend.
The tournaments started in two districts, Mwanza and Neno on Sunday, where the finals are scheduled for this afternoon to determine teams that will qualify for the district level.
“All the logistics pertaining to the tournaments have been finalised and as a first step, we have started with Mwanza and Neno districts and from there we will proceed to the Lower Shire next weekend,” said the competitions manager Wyson Sumaili.
He said both tournaments will be played on a knockout format.
“We are calling on the organising committees to ensure that they provide competent referees and umpires to avoid unnecessary disputes. Otherwise, we have started off and there is no looking back,” he said.
Organising committee chairperson Yusuf Matumula justified the delay in starting the competition, saying they were waiting for the founder, President Joyce Banda, to approve the report for the tournament.
He said the breakdown of the sponsorship will be announced in due course.
The President unveiled the inter-constituency tournament in February this year in partnership with the Jack Brewer Foundation and the One World Futbol Project and pledged to distribute 11 000 balls in all the country’s constituencies.
