NAM gambles on Africa tourney
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) says the Malawi Queens will still take part in the forthcoming Africa Netball Championship even without preparations.
The 10-day tournament is scheduled to throw-off this Sunday in Gaborone, Botswana, but with three days to the continental showpiece, the Malawi National Netball Team are yet to start preparations due to lack of funds.
NAM general secretary Isaac Chimwala said in an interview yesterday that pulling out would have far-reaching consequences, including a fine of at least $5 000 (about K8.5 million) and other sanctions as well as a drop on rankings.
This comes after Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire yesterday said government has allocated funding in the mid-year budget for the Queens’ activities, but it might not be ready on time.
Said Chimwala: “Having weighed the options, we find ourselves in a tight situation because in sport, you don’t just participate in a tournament without preparations.
“Under the circumstances, pulling out would have been a better option, but considering the consequences, we cannot take such a risk.
“It would mean a drop on rankings, a minimum fine of $5 000 to be paid within a stipulated period of say a week , failing which, we could be banned.”
He said the minister’s assurance on funding provides them with hope that the Queens can travel to Botswana for the tournament.
“We have been doing home training and unfortunately that’s not the best practice, but that’s the alternative we had. So, it is our hope that with the mid-year Budget assurance, we can come up with other arrangements,” said Chimwala.
The minister, on the other hand, said Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and NAM have collectively been allocated about K1 billion.
Said Mkandawire: “But then the challenge is that the funding might not be ready on time as the budget has not yet been approved.
“So, we will ask Sports Council to engage NAM to see if arrangements can be made to enable the team take part in the tournament because FAM were also in a similar situation, but they made special arrangements with service providers for the World Cup qualifiers [against Liberia and Tunisia].”
But Chimwala said that was the suggestion they made to Sports Council, but was turned down.
He said: “We have tried to speak to Sports Council, we put options on the table, having spoken to some service providers.
“In fact, the team would have been in camp by now, unfortunately they turned down our proposal.”
NAM requested for K123 million extra funding for the Africa Netball Championship, having exhausted their K170 million allocation for the current financial year against a K820 million proposed budget.
