Meeting on gate collections today

Stakeholders in gate collections involving international matches are expected to meet today (Friday)  in Lilongwe over Ministry of Youth and Sports’ recent directive that only itself and the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) should be sharing in halves the net proceeds.

FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda refused to comment on whether government’s order was implemented after Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations match against Chad.

“All I can say is that there is a meeting on Friday involving all stakeholders where this issue will be sorted out amicably,” said Nyirenda.

The directive was supposed to be enforced from the World Cup qualifier against Nigeria at the Kamuzu Stadium, but other stakeholders resisted, forcing FAM to revert to the sharing involving several stakeholders.

In the old sharing system, FAM gets 70 percent from the net proceeds, the ministry pockets 25 percent as ground levy, with five percent going to Sports Council. From the gross, other stakeholders entitled to receive something are ambulance service providers, First aiders, city council, security personnel, stewards and Treasury.

Director of Sports Jameson Ndalama last week admitted that the directive circulated to all stakeholders in the gate collection system had met some challenges and that FAM president Walter Nyamilandu had asked for a rethink of the order.

Ndalama said the directive was made considering that FAM is responsible for the management of the national football team while government takes care of the rest of the costs, including ground and pitch maintenance.

Sports Council was omitted from the new arrangement for gate collections since they are under the Sports Ministry.