Queens protest over allowances
Malawi Queens players have protested Netball Association of Malawi’s (NAM) decision to give uniform allowances to players that were dropped and the ones that played at the Pent Series and Africa Netball Championship in Namibia last month.
NAM general secretary Isaac Chimwala yesterday said Malawi Queens official sponsors FDH Bank plc has rewarded 15 players that made the trip as well as the same number of players that were dropped with K250 000 each as a token of appreciation, translating to K7.5 million.
He also said the bank has rewarded four technical panel members and head of delegation with K270 000 each, translating to K1.35 million.
“The sponsor felt the team needed to be rewarded and motivated as a token of appreciation for their performance at the Pent Series and Africa Netball Cup.
“They rewarded even the players that did not travel because they too are part of the team” he said.
But one of the players yesterday said they have asked NAM to explain why they are equally rewarding players that were dropped from the squad.
She said: “We appreciate that as our sponsor, FDH Bank has done the needful, but we want NAM to explain how they came up with such an unfair arrangement.
“How can you have a player who did not take part at any of the events getting the same amount as the one who featured in the games?”
The player also claimed that NAM has not explained whether the money deposited into their accounts covers game bonuses, international travel and local camping allowances.
“We have not been paid any of these allowances so it would be better if the money that we have been given covers part of that,” she said.
The player said they have resolved that if a clear explanation is not given, they will not honour the next call-up.
At the two tournaments, the Queens played 13 matches. They won 10, lost two and drew one.
The Queens get K50 000 for a win and half the amount for a draw which means on average each player is owed about K525 000.
They also get K5 000 local training allowance and for the nine days they spent in camp, it translates to K45 000 each.
The Queens are also entitled to $40 a day each as external allowance and for the 21 days they spent in Namibia, it translates to about $840 (about K693 000) each.
However, in an interview yesterday, FDH Bank plc senior marketing manager Ronald Chimchere said the money was not a token of appreciation.
“We released the money based on the budget that NAM presented to us as the official sponsor of the Queens as regards the administrative part of it, we are not involved,” he said.
