Silver fined K0.5 m, Mgangira banned
Moyale Barracks are the 2014 TNM Super League first round leaders on superior goal-aggregate to Big Bullets after the soldiers were awarded a three-goal margin win over Silver Strikers in last Sunday’s abandoned match at Mzuzu Stadium.
The Super League of Malawi (Sulom) fined the Super League defending champions Silver K500 000 for causing abandonment of July 27 league match against Moyale who now have 29 points at par with the Bullets.
The verdict, signed by Sulom general secretary Williams Banda, further banned from the touchline, technical area and dressing room Silver assistant coach Peter Mgangira for a year—barely a month after his appointment—for unsporting behaviour during the chaos that ensued.
“The committee awards Moyale three points and three goals to nil as per Sulom Rules and Regulations article 18 as read with Fifa Disciplinary code article 31. On being found guilty of causing the abandonment, Silver Strikers FC are hereby fined the sum of K500 000.00 to be paid before the next official game,” reads part of the verdict released on Thursday.
“Silver Strikers technical panel led by Messers Peter Mgangira used threats to pressure the referee in charge into abandoning the game after 10 minutes of waiting. Silver Strikers technical panel brought the game of football into disrepute.”
The Bankers trooped off the pitch in the 85th minute, protesting against referee George Aziz Nyirenda’s award of a penalty to the hosts, with the game at 1-1, after a perceived Blessing Tembo (Silver) handball. The determination follows Sulom Northern Region Disciplinary Committee hearing chaired by Chiza Nyirongo on July 30 2014 at Sunbird Mzuzu over complaints by Sulom on the disorderliness and misconducts that occurred during the game. Silver had since yesterday 24 hours to appeal against the fine with K450 000 as the appeal fee, but general secretary Mike Tembo was quoted by MIJ FM radio as saying they would not appeal the fine.
Sulom further recommended that the National Referee Committee should discipline referee Nyirenda for failing “to stamp authority before, during and after the game. This was evidenced by vote of no confidence expressed in the reports by various stakeholders including police, Silver Strikers and Moyale.”
