Teams accused of aiding misconduct

Some football officials have said clubs’ soft stance on issues of misconduct is one of the contributing factors to persistent acts of indiscipline among players, officials and fans.

The observation has been made by Silver Strikers chairperson McDo

nald Mafuta-Mwale, Mighty Wanderers general secretary David Kanyenda and Sulom general secretary Williams Banda.

They noted that clubs encourage bad behaviour by either paying fines on behalf of the misbehaving lot or fail to discipline them.

A case in point is the recent punishment imposed on Mighty Wanderers coach Stuart Mbolembole and team manager Chiyembekezo Zidana, who were slapped with a K150 000 fines each and two-match ban for inciting violence after their league game against Red Lions in Zomba.

The Nomads paid the fines on behalf of the duo and Kanyenda said the club will not deduct anything from either of them.

“We are aware of the practice in other countries where clubs impose further punishment such as fines on players and officials as one way of instilling discipline, but local teams cannot be compared to England or South Africa where the economy is good, here players already get very little,” said Kanyenda.

In other countries, players are also fined for getting a red card, but Kanyenda argued that a red card is already enough punishment as players are not entitled to game bonus when they are not part of the team.

Mafuta-Mwale said it is imperative for clubs to take a hard line on players, officials and supporters when they misbehave.

“On the part of the players, I would say we used to do it in the past. We had a special committee for that, but it is food for thought and maybe we can revive that,” he said.

However, Mafuta-Mwale said it is security personnel who fail to assist teams in identifying and dealing with supporters that perpetrate violence.

“On several occasions, we have been fined for the misbehaviour of the fans, but I think in such cases, security, in particular the police, can do better because we are not 100 percent in control of the fans as some of them are not registered while other crimes are committed by ganyu,” said Mafuta-Mwale.

The Sulom GS attributed clubs’ soft stance on players, officials and supporters could be attributed to sheer laxity.

Former Flames midfielder Ernest Mtawali, who played top-flight football in a career spanning over two decades, said in most of the countries, teams are uncompromising when it comes to discipline.

Apart from Mbolembole and Zidana, Moyale defender Benson Hojani and his Red Lions counterpart Edwin Ng’oma were found guilty of misconduct after the former beat up a ball boy while the latter refused to return a match ball. They were fined, but their clubs paid the fines on their behalf.

Blue Eagles substitute goalkeepers Chimwemwe Chitedze and Elia Msukwa were also banned by Sulom for assaulting match officials during their Super League game against Bullets.

There is also a pending case against Wanderers defender Idrissa Walesi who is accused of assaulting a Mponela player Chikweza Menyani after their Super League match in Balaka.