Player tapping fine up 4 times

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) executive committee has increased player-tapping fine in the Super League by four times from K500 000 to K2 million.

The resolution was made during the association’s executive committee meeting in Mangochi on Saturday.

Part of a statement issued by the association, reads: “The meeting approved the amendments to the FAM regulations on the status and transfers of players in line with the amendments made by Fifa and revised the fines on player tapping [in case of a club approaching contracted player without the permissions of the parent club] for a professional player in the Super League from K500 000 to K2 million.

The meeting also increased the fine for an amateur with a contract in the Super League from K250 000 to K1 million and introduced a K1 million fine for women’s regional leagues.

“For an amateur with a contract in case of regional leagues and below, [it has been increased] from K50 000.00 to K200 000 while for all other women’s football, including juniors, it will attract a K25 000 fine,” the statement further states.

FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the fines have been increased “to enhance compliance to the rules”.

He said: “The executive also noted knowledge gap on player transfer matters and guided that FAM should come up come up with a sensitisation programme for all stakeholders on regulations on status and transfer of players.”

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers board secretary Chancy Gondwe, a renowned private practice lawyer, welcomes the resolutions, saying: “That is in order because player tapping is a serious offence in football.

“The level of punishment will help curb this serious malpractice.

“However, the resolution is disproportionately restrictive on the activity of agents and out of line with the notion of players seeking alternative employment and clubs seeking new employees.

“However, the restraint of trade rule will allow validity and enforceability of a restriction if the restriction is reasonable and necessary to protect a proprietary interest.”

The meeting further approved  the introduction of K2.2 million for Super League clubs under Category 1, K1.1 million for regional leagues under Category 2, K550 000 for youth (Under-19) and women  under Category 3 while Under 17 and below has been pegged at K250 000 under Category 4.

The FAM ex-co also approved Malawi National Football Team caretaker coach Patrick Mabedi’s programme for the Flames upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final qualifier against Guinea scheduled for September 9 at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

The statement says the Flames will go into a full-time two-week camp on August 28 in Lilongwe.

Reads the statement: “In order to give the team ample time for the preparations, the executive committee resolved to shift the FDH Bank Cup semi-finals from 2 and 3 September 2023 to 16 and 17 September as players will not be released for local competitions’ fixtures during the two-week period.”

It was further resolved that the Flames will not play any international friendly matches during the October Fifa International window due to lack of funds and a tight local football calendar for the elite league.

The FAM ex-co also resolved to continue engaging government through the Malawi National Council of Sports  on funding for the Guinea match and the two 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers scheduled for  November.

It further directed the FAM competitions committee to revise the calendar accordingly following the decision on the changes to the local fixtures as result of the Flames camping programme for the Guinea match.

The match against the Syli Nationale of Guinea will be of academic interest for the Flames as they are out of contention. They are third with four points from five matches.

The 2023 season, which was initially expected to end on December 23, will is now expected to end on 31st December 31.