Josaya, Sulom gang up against FAM over Zonda
Epac FC and the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) have challenged FAM Disciplinary Committee’s clearing of defender Pilirani Zonda as a free agent and the summoning of the Lilongwe side for shunning the case’s hearing.
Epac owner Dini Josaya-Banda wondered how the Big Bullets target Zonda, who was playing for Epac last season, accepted his perks until last month while in the same breath claimed to be a free agent.
Josaya also questioned FAM’s involvement in the matter. He further cited the case of Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers’ appeal against bans, which FAM referred back to Sulom for them to exhaust the process of natural justice.
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda also claimed to have been by-passed.
“Epac siipita ku FAM (Epac won’t appear before FAM). Ngati akufuna achite chilichonse (Let them take any action). FAM ili ndi chiwembu ndi ine (FAM has issues with me). Epac is not affiliated to FAM, but Sulom who should have been the first to hear out the matter because they register the players,” Josaya challenged on Wednesday.
Sulom’s Banda seemed to agree with Josaya that the player should have complained to Epac that his contract expired and if unsatisfied, seek Sulom’s intervention.
“We have been given a copy of the determination by FAM, but we did not get the invitation to the hearing. We have a fully fledged disciplinary committee and we need to be advised by FAM if we should dissolve it. I also need to get the definition of an amateur. I am of the view that FAM Disciplinary Committee is supposed to handle cup matters,” Banda argued.
FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda dismissed Epac’s argument, adding that they did not send the verdict to them, but to the association’s affiliate Sulom.
“We want to protect players. They are the ones entertaining us and not officials. We are propagating that clubs must adopt THE club licensing system. They [Epac] are disowning us, but one day they will also disown Sulom as was the case with Wanderers and Silver. As for Sulom’s statement, I do not want to go into arguments. The player complained to FAM because we handle club and player licensing. We do not want clubs to be signing players’ contracts. It has to be mutual,” Nyirenda challenged.
On Tuesday, FAM cleared Zonda who is in Bullets camp, but Epac claim ownership, citing a contract which the disciplinary committee challenged as fake.
“Firstly, the committee notes that Epac FC did not attend the hearing even after due notice was given to them. No excuse was given by Epac for the non-attendance. Surprisingly, Epac officials were heard on some radio stations commenting on the issue before the panel. The committee would like to condemn the conduct of Epac in the strongest terms. The committee would like to remind Epac that as a club affiliated to FAM, it is amenable to FAM’s constitution and in particular, the disciplinary process provided under it,” Nyirenda wrote.
“Secondly, on the evidence before it, the committee is of the view that the signature appearing on the written contract, purportedly between Pilirani Zonda and Epac FC, is not the same as that which Pilirani Zonda submitted before the panel through the Sulom licence cards, passport and specimen.”
