Silver charged with player tapping

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has given Silver Strikers FC until close of business today to respond to player tapping charges involving Be Forward Wanderers midfielder Timothy Chitedze.
In a letter addressed to the Bankers, dated March 8 2015, Sulom states that it has received complaints from Wanderers that Chitedze has been training with Silver without the Nomads’ consent.
“He even played for Silver Strikers in the international friendly match with Caps United on 1st March, 2015 at Silver Stadium of which we have evidence on the same from your officials’ interviews on radio and the official match report.

“Note that your actions [are] in breach of the player transfer rules and contravenes the Football Association of Malawi [FAM] regulations Article 9.10 of the Status and Transfer of Players. You have 48 hours from the date of this letter to respond to the charges,” reads part of the letter signed by Sulom’s treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda on behalf of the general secretary.
According to Wanderers GS Mike Butao, Chitedze’s issue has dragged unnecessarily as the complaint was first lodged to Sulom over six months ago.
“At the start of the second-round last season, Chitedze stopped reporting for training, then we established that he was training with Silver, we got in touch with them and made an offer, but they never responded.
“Then we took up the matter with Sulom and wrote them twice, but nothing came up,” said Butao.
He said their fear is that they might lose out on cashing on the player as his contract runs out next month [April] and he will become a free-agent. That is why we left a paper trail to prove that the transfer offer was given last year. So, they still have to pay,” said Butao.
While confirming receipt of the player tapping charges, Silver general secretary Mike Tembo said they courted Chitedze because he was fired by Wanderers.
“To begin with, Wanderers fired Chitedze and we have a copy of that letter and it is unfortunate that when we sought Sulom’s clarification on the player’s status, they were not helpful neither were Wanderers.
“And even if the contract is still on, then Wanderers are not administering it because they have not paid him for more than eight months now,” he said.
Tembo also dismissed Wanderers’ claims that the player has been training with Silver all this time.
“He stays in Lumbadzi and only comes to train with us periodically, it is not as if he has been in our camp all along,” he said.
The Bankers GS also said as of yesterday he was finalising the response to Sulom on the charges levelled against his team.
However, Chitedze somehow contradicted Tembo on the claims that he was fired by Wanderers.
“My contract with Wanderers is indeed still running up to April 4, but what happened was that when I refused to be attached to the reserve side, they told me to find a club that would be ready to sign me on loan.
“That is how I found myself at Silver Strikers, but then the problem was that when the supporters heard that I was being loaned out, they protested, a development that forced Wanderers management to change their tune and they frustrated Silver’s efforts to sign me,” he said.
Chitedze also said he is surprised that Wanderers are insisting on the contract when they have not been able to meet their contractual obligations.
“I have not been paid for over half a year. Now, how do they think I am surviving? Is that not a breach of contract? They are now pressing the panic button probably because the contract is due to expire,” he said.
Last year, Butao Chitedze would be loaned out on disciplinary grounds other than performance. At the time he left LaliLubani Road, he was one of their key players.