Ntopwa FC owner and technical director Isaac Jomo Osman has asked the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) leadership to wake up from its slumber and reflect on why it was ushered into office.
In a voice clip that went viral on social media yesterday, the outspoken football official accused the FAM leadership of losing direction.
He also took a swipe at some sports journalists, accusing them of not speaking out after being allegedly bribed.
“I always stand for the truth and I will never stop speaking out when things are going wrong,” he said.
Osman claimed that there are instances whereby officials within the football governing body are employing people based on appeasement “and yet you are talking about transforming the game”.
He said: “There used to be a time when we used to clap hands for former [FAM] president Walter Nyamilandu, but when we realised that his time was up, we helped in removing him from office.
“Look at what happened to the Under-20 and Under-17 national teams. We had these youngsters travelling abroad by road and they arrived in South Africa with swollen feet.
“Worse still, some Under-17 players arrived just before the tournament and you say you are transforming the game? And there are others busy clapping hands? That’s the problem we have.”
Osman also claimed that the Under-16 league is not being played due to lack of resources.
“And I wonder if the president [Fleetwodd Haiya] is aware of that. No, Mr president, we elected you to transform the game and not organise parties. You are losing direction because of the people that have surrounded you,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Osman said he had to speak out because things are getting out of hand.
Reacting to Osman’s claims, FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said if people have issues, there are procedures that need to be followed.
“But these issues have not been taken up with the association,” he said.
On his part, Sports Writers Association of Malawi general secretary Wesysylas Chirwa faulted Osman for blaming some journalists of having been compromised without providing proof.
“If there are such challenges at FAM, then no one has been forthcoming with information to enable journalists to follow them up,” he said.
“Even when there is need for journalists to investigate, they cannot do it when there are no leads. Therefore, blaming reporters when people are not forthcoming with information is wrong.”
