National Sports

Ministry acts on stadiums

Ministry of Youth and Sports is negotiating with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to allow them retain a percentage of gate revenue share to cater for minor maintenance works at its stadiums.

The ministry’s spokesperson MacMillan Mwale was responding to a question on lasting solutions to avoid sanctions from Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Fifa.

This comes after CAF’s decision on Monday to approve Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe to host its inter-club competitions.

Said Mwale: “To avoid such scenarios in future, we are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance to allow us create an operational account so that a certain percentage of the gate revenue should remain for maintenance.”

Bingu National Stadium has been given the green light to host CAF inter-club matches

Currently, the ministry’s entire share from gate revenue is deposited into Account Number one.

“Additionally, we are also lobbying for increased funding. All this is to ensure that we have available resources,” he said.

Mwale further said the request also applies to Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

He also claimed that having recently bought technical and luxury seats, they have met all the CAF requirements at BNS.

“Otherwise,  other areas, which needed improving, including dressing rooms and sanitary conditions, have been worked on. As for the recent sidelining, it was specifically to do with the condition of the pitch which has since been dealt with leading to the approval,” said Mwale.

FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka  said the ministry’s move would help improve the current situation.

He said: “Otherwise, they struggle a lot to maintain the facilities because they do not have the funds handy. Having said that, despite the challenges, the ministry has been trying its best to keep things moving.

“That is why we have gotten an approval after a pre-inspection and it means they [CAF] were satisfied, otherwise, they could have sent an inspector.”

Meanwhile, a letter from CAF addressed to Football Association of Malawi, approving the use of BNS for inter-club matches, partly reads: “We acknowledge receipt of the pre-inspection reportfor the Bingu National Stadium submitted via CLOP in view of its use in the CAF inter-club competitions’ 2024/25 first and second preliminary round.

“Following the review of the report by CAF, please note that the stadium is approved for use  specifically in the CAF inter-club competitions’ first and second preliminary rounds.

“Not withstanding, the stadium management is required to ensure that the pitch conditions are maintained and improved to host the upcoming CAF matches.”

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