Ntopwa Queens win case, crowned 2018 champions

Ntopwa Queens have been officially crowned Southern Region Women Football Association (SRWFA) League champions after National Women Football Association (NWFA) disciplinary committee found no match-fixing proof in their recent 43-0 triumph over Chikwawa FC.

Chikwawa, through their coach Arnold Mwatha, appealed to the NWFA early December against SRFA’s disciplinary committee ruling that the result stood because there was enough evidence Chikwawa players featured in the match, contrary to their head coach’s argument that he did not send a team due to lack of transport.

It also stated that the coach’s request for a postponement could not be considered as it came late to the vice-general secretary instead of the fixtures secretary.

But yesterday, NWFA vice-chairperson Catherine Chikandula said they have maintained SRWFA’s verdict as the coach failed to defend his claims at a hearing.

“In the appeal letter, the coach claimed the players that featured against Ntopwa did not belong to Chikwawa FC yet at the hearing he owned them. Moreover, we discovered that his argument that he could not send a team to the match due to lack of transport was a lame excuse,” she said.

But Mwatha yesterday accused the NWFA disciplinary committee of being biased towards Ntopwa.

“It is not fair to rule out our appeal on grounds that I know the players that were paraded at the hearing because some might have been accompanying us at our games, but were not in our squad,” he said.

Ntopwa Queens owner Isaac ‘Jomo’ Osman said he is happy his team has been vindicated that they won the match on merit and deserve the crown.

The development means Ntopwa are the eventual champions of the eight-team league.