Sports Council rebuffs associations on starterpacks

Malawi National Council of Sports says it will not offer starter packs to associations to help them meet guidelines within six months or risk being deregistered.

This follows a request by some of the associations for Sports Council to help them meet some of the guidelines, in particular having a secretariat complete with an administrator.

The guidelines also include having a strategic plan and related implementation plan, holding annual general meetings as stipulated in their respective constitutions and submission of annual audited accounts.

In an interview yesterday, Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa said it is not the council’s obligation to fund associations for such initiatives.

He said: “If they are associations worth recognition, then they should be able to set up offices on their own which will in turn help them with the confidence and trust of potential sponsors.

“It is not the duty of Sports Council to provide funding for associations’ operations such as buying airtime.”

Ntulumbwa said they are speaking from an informed point of view.

He said on several occasions some companies have complained to Sports Council on the unprofessionalism of some sports associations.

Said Ntulumbwa: “There have been companies willing to help some sports disciplines, but have been let down by some of the associations’ unprofessional conduct to the extent of holding meetings in car parks or a cafe due to lack of offices.

“Some associations even fail to produce financial reports as demanded by potential sponsors. It is under such circumstances that council thought it wise to formulate the guidelines.”

He said it is sad that out of 43 associations, less than 10 have offices.

But despite Sports Council’s insistence that it won’t help associations set up secretariats, some associations like judo and chess have offices in Sports Council buildings.

Judo Association of Malawi general secretary Ousborne Banda  said they are lucky to have been given an office by Sports Council.

“This has made our operations easier. If we were to be renting an office, it would be in the ranges of K250 000 to K350 000 plus other expenses. We are paying an administrator about K150 000.”

Chess Association of Malawi spokesperson Alfred Chimthere also said they operate in an office provided by Sports Council.

“If we were to be renting it could have been a bit tough for us,” he said.

Ntulumbwa could not comment on these arrangements with some selected associations.

While some have been lucky to find free space, for others it will be a tall order.

Volleyball Association of Malawi spokesperson MacGodwin Mangani said  to set up an  office alone will require about K1.5million.

“Once-off payment to set up the office is in the region of K1.5 million, considering  consistent flow of funding for the year, an  administrative assistant is entitled to  K350 000  a month,  utilities about K150 000 a month, office rent say about  K150 000, communication and transport about K200 000 and that’s a lot of money which we can hardly afford,” he said.

Handball Association of Malawi general secretary Dennis Kumwenda said the guidelines by council have potential to change the status of associations for the better but implementation would be difficult.

“To set up a functional and vibrant secretariat will be expensive to implement. We need to sit down with council and map the way forward as to how this can be implemented,” he said.