Last season’s TNM Super League champions Silver Strikers and runners-up Mighty Wanderers have run out of patience over the delay to give them their prize money.
In separate interviews yesterday, the two teams said they were hoping that they would get their cheques during the prize presentation held last Friday in Lilongwe.
For emerging champions, the Bankers are supposed to receive K100 million while the Nomads are expected to get K40 million. Third-placed FCB Nyasa Bullets are supposed to get K30 million.
Apart from the teams, outstanding players, coach and referees are also yet to get their prizes.
In an interview yesterday, Silver chief executive officer Patrick Chimimba said: “It’s now 107 days after the league concluded, but we still haven’t been given the prize money.
“Our hope was that we would get it during prize presentation, but there was nothing.”
He said their follow-ups have proved futile and Sulom needs to come out and explain the anomaly.
Said Chimimba: “It’s unfair because the longer it takes, the value of the money won’t be the same.
“The league is starting in a week’s time and yet we haven’t received prize money for the previous year’s competition. How are the players going to get motivated?”
His Wanderers counterpart Panganeni Ndovi said: “We are still awaiting the prize money, but we are hopeful that all funds will be transferred within this week following the prize presentation that took place over the weekend.
“The prolonged delay has had a significant impact on the operations of the teams, affecting planning, logistics, and overall team welfare.
“It has been a challenging period and given that it has now been 107 days since the league concluded, it’s high time the team received its well-deserved reward for the hard work and dedication shown throughout the campaign.
“We appreciate the patience and support from everyone involved and are keen to see this matter resolved as soon as possible.”
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda had not yet responded to our questionnaire by press time yesterday.
TNM plc brand and communications manager Limbani Nsapato yesterday said he could not comment on the matter as he is on leave.
Sulom sponsors the flagship league to the tune of K500 million.
