Sulom questions ‘double dipping’

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has delved into the issue of “double dipping” and named  Football Association of Malawi (FAM), Malawi National Council of Sports, clubs’ representatives and supporters as culprits of dual allowance claims  from gate revenue during TNM Super League matches.

The league-runners say the representatives make the claims despite being paid the same by their institutions.

In a letter dated April 30, signed by its president Gilbert Mittawa and  addressed to clubs’ chairpersons, Sulom says it has noted that there are extra unspecified expenses described as “other” on match days which are mostly from ‘double dipping’.

Apparently, such additional expenses are explained as allowances paid to supporters, club representatives, private security, FAM, Sports Council and Sulom officials.

The letter reads in part: “We have noted an increase in additional expenses from gate revenue being given to supporters, club representatives and private security. To maximise revenue for teams, please note that there will be no ‘other’ as the same is subject to abuse.

“The same applies to Sulom, FAM and Sports Council representatives. We have noted that most representatives are drawing double allowances from their [respective] organisations and from match day revenue.

“Kindly be advised, therefore, that with immediate effect, Sports Council, FAM, Sulom and club representatives should draw allowances from their respective organisations and not from gate revenue share.

“If a representative draws allowances from the gate revenue, the same shall be debited from the organisation that he/she is representing.”

However, despite Sulom’s order, the ‘other’ expenses are still appearing on match revenue sharing report, implying that ‘double dipping’ is still the order of the day.

During the Blantyre derby which grossed about K80 million, ‘others’ expenses were pegged at K2 million.

However, FAM has dismissed claims that its officials get allowances when they attend Super League matches.

FAM competitions and communication director Gomezgani Zakazaka  said in an interview that they pay their officials assigned for matches.

He said: “FAM officials don’t draw allowances from gate revenue. For more than five years now, no FAM official  is paid in cash for any allowances. For FAM cup competitions and national teams or other assignments like TNM Super League matches, all our officials are paid before the match or after the match from the office and not from the gate takings.

“No FAM official has been assigned on official duties for TNM Super League matches in 2024 up to the time of the report. The only FAM official assigned for Super League match this far was Mr [Jossam] Namwera as general coordinator during the Blantyre derby at the request of Sulom.”

Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa in an interview yesterday also said their officials are not supposed to get allowances from gate revenue.

He said: “When we assign our people we take care of them. We pay all their allowances. If Sulom has evidence that our officials are getting allowances from gate revenue when we assign them, let them bring the evidence through FAM, instead of making baseless accusations which only tarnish our image.”

Ntulumbwa claimed Sports Council officials were being used to cover up the culprits behind ‘other’ expenses.

He said: “I think we are just being used as scapegoats for expenses which they cannot explain.”

FCB Nyasa Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga also said they pay their officials and are not supposed to be paid by Sulom.

He said: “Not to our knowledge as a club. None of our match day workers would demand to be paid by Sulom or draw money from the gate revenue.

“Bullets pay its officials and supporters from its own coffers during the match day. Even our supporters who play stewardship role are paid by the club.”

However, Chigoga admitted that a substantial number of supporters network were paid from gate revenue during last week’s Blantyre derby.

But in an interview yesterday,  Sulom general secretary Williams Banda insisted that the mentioned stakeholders draw allowances from the gate revenue.

“All stakeholders [mentioned] were getting the allowances,” he said.