Sulom gears up for football restart
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) yesterday started testing players and other officials involved in the organisation of matches in preparation for the resumption of the TNM Super League.
Sulom vice-general secretary Zakaria Nyirenda said in an interview that Lilongwe-based clubs Kamuzu Barracks, Silver Strikers, Blue Eagles and Civil Sporting Club players underwent the tests yesterday at Civo Stadium.
He said the testing will continue today with Salima-based Mafco, Kasungu-based TN Stars, stadium personnel, stewards and referees.
Northern Region and Southern Region-based teams will have their turns tomorrow and Friday.
“We expect to have all results shared with all clubs and stakeholders not beyond Saturday this week,” said Nyirenda.
Sulom is conducting the tests in conjunction with Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Covid-19 Task Force.
The testing of the players comes after the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on Monday evening announced that the country’s Covid-19 positivity rate for the past 24-hour period from midday on Sunday stood at of 6.4 percent.
FAM Covid-19 Task Force chairperson Chimango Munthali said in an interview yesterday that since the figures for new infections are declining, “the future looks bright”.
He said: “Remember, government said sports will resume when the positivity rate is below five percent.
“Right now we are at 6.4 percent. So, there is good chance that football will restart soon. We are confident that football will resume within 14 days.”
Munthali said the testing of players will enable clubs to know the Covid-19 status of their players ahead of the resumption of the league.
He said: “We know we will have positive results from some players. So, for the sake of fairness, we don’t want clubs to know their players’ status when we are about to restart football.
“We want all players to know their status now so that the clubs have enough time to help them recover as well as control the spread so that by the time football resumes, all players will be fit to play.”
Sulom suspended TNM Super League matches on January 22 following the announcement of new public health guidelines to contain the further spread of Covid-19.
The precautionary measures include restrictions of public gathering to 50 people.
