Ministry of Sports to enforce sponsorship guidelines
Ministry of Youth and Sports will introduce sponsorship guidelines which will see Malawi National Council of Sports approving all sponsorship deals before they are signed by sponsors and associations.
According to the sponsorship policy and guidelines, sponsors will also be required to apply to sponsor sports through expression of interest (EOI).
However, Sports Council will only approve sponsorships with organisations that are deemed to be in line with its objectives.
The guidelines also state that Sports Council as a general rule, will not consider sponsorship applications from organisations who have failed to deliver on previous sponsorship obligations.
Sports Council will also assess and recommend the termination of a sponsorship arrangement where necessary.
The guidelines also stress that ssponsorship arrangements entered into by any party in the sports sector will not involve explicit or implicit endorsement of an organisation’s products or services.
Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson MacMillan Mwale said the guidelines were formulated in 2018 but they are not being followed.
He said: “The guidelines were formulated in 2018 after the rift that was there in 2017 [between Super League sponsors TNM plc and Super League of Malawi].
“However, there is need to enforce them with sponsors and associations, to ensure that sponsorships are ably managed.”
The rift between Sulom and TNM plc started after Competitions and Fair Trade Commission (CFTC) ruled that the contract between the two, which restricted Sulom from entering into other agreements without the approval of the mobile service providers, was in violation of the CFTC Act.
TNM then suspended sponsorship for the league before reversing the decision after Ministry of Sports intervened and ordered the formulation of the guidelines for future deals.
This time the ministry’s position comes following another rift between Sulom and TNM after the former signed an agreement with PremierBet as a co-sponsors.
Mwale warned that sponsors or associations flouting guidelines will now face sanctions.
“Those flouting the guidelines will be summoned and other sanctions can follow,” he said.
Mwale said a delay in implementation of the guidelines was due to changes at Sports Council.
“Sports Council is the overseer and implementing arm of the guidelines and the Ministry takes oversight role.
“Frequent changes at the council have contributed to the delays. We now have substantive chief executive officer and hope this will be pursued in order to make progress on the matter,” he said.
Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa in an interview said they will work with Ministry of Sports on how to implement the guidelines.
Meanwhile some sponsors and associations, including Sulom and TNM plc said they were not aware of the guidelines.
TNM brands and communications manager Limbani Nsapato said he “needed to check” on matter.
On his part, Sulom president Gilbert Mittawa said the guidelines aside, they will continue engaging TNM so that the sponsorship deal is beneficial to both parties.
He said: “I think under the circumstances the most important question would be whether or not Sulom values TNM as a partner and whether or not the partnership is beneficial to both parties. My answer to both questions would be in the affirmative.
“TNM has always been with us for the past 17 years and they have been a big part of what the league is at the moment.
“Together, we keep on engaging each other to find means and ways of continuing to revive, reform and rebrand the league to transform football in Malawi.
“We will, therefore, be informing the public very soon on the new sponsorship deal which I believe is a very big step in our renewed agenda.
“As such, I want to assure everyone that there is nothing to worry about. All policy issues are taken care of for the mutual benefit of both parties and the game in general.”
