Malawi pool team withdraws from Aapa Games
Malawi senior national pool team has withdrawn from the 2014 All Africa Pool Association Championships (Aapa) Games, starting this Friday in Tanzania, after failing to source K2 million for the trip’s expenses.
Malawi Pool Association (Mapa) general secretary Saulos Thindwa confirmed yesterday the pullout from the Dar es Salaam National Stadium continental event which Malawi hosted last year at Robin’s Park in Blantyre.
“There is nothing Mapa could have done in the absence of the funding other than withdraw from the competition. After successfully hosting the event last year, we thought we were going to build from there moving forward,” he explained.
“Pool is a sport that attracts a number of youths who are jobless, but spend much of the time playing the game. This was an opportunity for them to get exposed to international competitions like these, but unfortunately it will not materialise,” said Thindwa.
Government, through Malawi National Council of Sports, told Mapa that there is no funding. The association had sought the council’s nod to release K1 million from K2 million annual subvention to the pool body.
“Even the K2 million that we get a year for internal programmes does not suffice our yearly activities and external travel for the games in Tanzania was always going to be a tall order in the absence of extra support,” he said.
Some 10 national pool teams graced last year’s event in Blantyre where Zambia emerged as champions, South Africa second and Tanzania third.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Pool Association president Isaac Togocho has told that country’s mediawww.ippmedia.com that they are racing against time to host the Aapa games.
