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Silver, Nomads question replay

Has questioned Sulom's remarks: Mighty Wanderers
Has questioned Sulom’s remarks: Mighty Wanderers

In a fresh twist to the Balaka fracas, both Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers have questioned Sulom’s remarks that their Super League match that was abandoned last Saturday in Balaka due to violence, is likely to be replayed.

There were ugly scenes that culminated into full-scale skirmishes leading to the death of a Wanderers fan Lemiyasi Josita while scores of other fans were injured.

Wanderers general secretary David Kanyenda and his Silver counterpart Mike Tembo on Monday wondered why Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Innocent Bottomani had remarked that the match would be replayed in closed doors without hearing from the concerned parties.

“How can they determine a replay without hearing our side? Silver fans were clearly the aggressors and we were the victims. We have lost a fan and scores of people were severely injured that ensued after senseless firing of tear gas,” said Kanyenda.

The Nomads also questioned Sulom’s fixing of the game in Balaka last Saturday, claiming that they had already completed their 10-game Kamuzu Stadium ban.

In a press statement signed by Tembo, issued on Monday, Silver say they are disturbed to read and listen from the media that Sulom has decided a replay .

He argues that no decision can be made without hearing the sides of those likely to be affected by it.

Silver have also called upon authorities to thoroughly investigate the violence, claiming that their preliminary findings were that violence was started by Wanderers supporters after the grabbed scarves from Big Bullets and Silver fans.

“Our fan Rhoda Nkhata was severely beaten as she tried to get her scarf back. Further to that, we are mindful of Article 14 of Sulom constitution which states that a [home] club that fails to provide adequate security will be punished,” reads the statement.

Sulom general secretary Williams Banda could not be reached for comment, but he earlier said the disciplinary hearing on the fracas will be called within the week.

“We are treating this issue with the urgency it deserves. We have already received reports from match officials and others. We are only waiting for the report from police,” said Banda.

Meanwhile, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has said it has learnt with great shock and dismay that the game ended abruptly due to ugly scenes of violence and hooliganism by rival supporters.

FAM said football is supposed to be a source of entertainment to bring joy and fun to the football fans and not to be taken as a battlefield.

“FAM would like to assure the general public, the football fraternity, the bereaved family of Lemiyasi Josita and all those affected by this tragedy that upon receiving reports from Sulom and Malawi Police, it will ensure that the matter is thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken to bring any culprits to book,” reads the association’s statement signed by its secretary general Suzgo Nyirenda.

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