Malawi players risk FIFA ban
Some Malawi players risk Fifa bans for joining foreign teams illegally, especially in Mozambique without the involvement of Football Association of Malawi (FAM) which issues international transfer certificates (ITC).
Weekend Nation has established that FAM only recognises the transfers to Mozambique teams of Zicco Mkanda ( Liga Muculmana), Emmanuel Chipatala and Sankhani Nyirenda (Ferroviaro de Nampula) and Gerald Nkungula of HCB Songo.
There are over 10 Malawian players in Mozambique, taking advantage of the laxity by that country’s football authorities and Malawi clubs’ disorganisation.
FAM commercial manager Casper Jangale, who is also in charge locally of Fifa’s Transfer Matching System (TMS), said they do not recognise the rest of the transfer deals.
Illigal deals
Last month, Big Bullets’ Godfrey Masonda, Robson Banda, Charles Kalaile and Yamikani Tambala and ex-Blantyre United striker Sunday Kamuyamba slipped to Mozambique. Banda has since opened proper transfer negotiations.
Other players such as Dangalira Mnelemba, Dave Mphaya, Lewis Minjale, Jimmy Chikulekule, Andrew Chikhosi, Ben Chinganyama and Jack Akidu have played for Mozambican teams without an ITC. Mozambican top league clubs pay better compared to the local scene.
Recently, Civo United pressurised FAM for an ITC of midfielder Alick Lihuhu, who left to sign for a Mozambique side some four years ago while on loan at MTL Wanderers. There was also no formal transaction.
Lihuhu has since rejoined Civo with his status indicating that he was on loan from Wanderers. In another case, Chikondi Likwemba penned for Zimbabwe’s Platinum FC last year then quit to sign for Ferroviaro Beira without the Mozambique side getting an ITC. Likwemba faulted Beira for not asking for the ITC from Zimbabwe.
“Silver Strikers demanded an ITC for Likwemba, but our Mozambican counterparts were not responding to our enquiries only to discover that the TMS system was showing that he belongs to Platinum.
“We are safe from Fifa’s punishment as we only transact with associations. Players belong to clubs, but where players are not on contract, they go for free,” Jangale said.
No one is safe
While claiming to be safe, Jangale admitted that similar informal transfers of Luka Milanzi and Limbikani Mzava to Democratic Republic of Congo’s TP Mazembe and South Africa’s Bloemfontein Celtic have earned Fifa’s attention.
“Last month, Fifa asked us to write a report on the whereabouts and the history of Luka, who moved to Mazembe as a minor. He could not sign a professional contract as he will turn 18 in December. We are yet to submit the report as we cannot easily get hold of him,” Jangale said.
But a players’ scout Kondie Msungama, who recently passed examinations to become a Fifa-recognised agent, warned that the players and Mozambican clubs involved risk heavy Fifa fines and bans.
The Super League of Malawi (Sulom) general secretary Williams Banda has since issued its 15 clubs with dummy copies of contracts for them to sign players, warning that failure to do so would lead to their footballers being declared free agents.
“We are concerned. This is dangerous. FAM should write the Mocambique FA .To the players, it is a matter of seeking greener pastures, but procedures need to be adhered to,” Banda said.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu admitted that they have the powers to regulate the players’ transfer market both domestically and internationally.
“It is my sincere hope that illegal player transfers will be curbed through introduction of the TMS system in the long run. However, we also need to engage and caution other member associations that are promoting this practice (knowingly or unkowingly) because if reported to Fifa, there could be liable to sanctions,” said Nyamilandu.
Fifa ban
In 2010, Fifa banned for a year Zambian teenager Emmanuel Mbola for an illegal transfer to an Israeli side. Fifa Media Department had not responded to Weekend Nation’s questionnaire. Fifa’s articles are clear that players who play for foreign teams without an ITC risks bans.
