Sulom wants to restart under current restrictions

Super Lesgue of Malawi (Sulom) says it wants to resume the top-flight league even under the current public gathering restrictions.

The revised public health guidelines to  prevent further spread of Covid-19 restrict public gathering to 50 people.

But faced with a race against time, the TNM Super League runners appear desperate to resume.

In an interview yesterday, Sulom general secretary (GS) Williams Banda said: “We want to adhere to the 50 public gathering rule and  consider  restarting. We will engage the clubs.”

He also said finishing the season  will depend  on the  conditions  available, including resources to teams and calendar of events.

Sulom’s move comes barely two days after Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda told The Nation in an interview that sports will resume when positivity rate of Covid-19 cases drop to five percent or less.

She said: “We are monitoring the situation for another week and thereafter, we will determine the way forward.

“We are aware of how the sports industry has suffered, but at the same time we need to exercise caution.”

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director  Gomezgani Zakazaka yesterday said they are still awaiting government’s response to to allow a waiver of 98 people.

He, however, said despite the prolonged delay, the association is optimistic the season will end within schedule.

According to FAM’s revised calendar, the delayed 2020/21 season is scheduled to end in July.

Despite the current break, which has now entered its eighth week, Zakazaka believes they still have time.

“We are optimistic of finishing within schedule because initially we had planned for three cups and these are FDH Bank Cup, Fisd Challenge and Airtel Top 8.

“But of the three, only FDH tournament has been confirmed. So, we are optimistic of finishing within schedule, but that is assuming we will restart within the next couple of weeks,” he said.