TNM disappointed with violence
As the first-round of the Super League heads towards conclusion, sponsors TNM have expressed concern with the acts of violence that characterised some games.
TNM public relations and sponsorship manager Limbani Nsapato was reflecting on the flagship football league half way through the season.
The mobile telecommunications network provider has since urged the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) to find lasting solutions.
“We are saying enough is enough. We are not happy with violence as it has no place in football. The fact that an innocent soul was denied life just because he decided to watch a football match is disturbing and sad.
“There is need for stakeholders to meet and find a lasting solution ahead of the second-round,” said Nsapato.
He said match avenues are supposed to be peaceful, filled with entertainment and not ugly scenes.
He added: “I should be able to take my wife and my child to the stadium to watch my favourite team play. But what is happening now is that people are afraid to patronise matches with their families for fear of losing life.
“Sulom needs to put mechanisms in place to stop violence once and for all. It is not good for football.”
Violence erupted during a match between Surestream (now Fisd Wizards) and Red Lions at Kamuzu Stadium on May 9 when Lions players confronted referee Boniface Chipinga whom they accused of favouring their opponents, a situation that led to full-scale violence resulting in the death of a fan Geoffrey Mwale.
Mwale succumbed to serious injuries after allegedly being beaten by soldiers outside the stadium and died on June 5 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
There was were also acts of violence during a recent game between Be Forward Wanderers and Moyale which led to the game being stopped for over 30 minutes as security personnel tried to calm the situation.
Nevertheless, despite the acts of violence and hooliganism, TNM commended Sulom for improving on gate-management system.
“The level of competition has also improved,” he said.
Sulom president Innocent Bottoman acknowledged that the ugly face of violence continues to haunt the flagship league.
“It’s unfortunate that our success story is bloated by pockets of violence. We will work hard to address that as it is supposed to be collective effort with the clubs and security personnel. But I am glad that TNM has also seen the positives made to improve quality of football and also gate management system,” said Bottoman.
Meanwhile, Sulom has said it will soon call for a mid-season review of the league where clubs and stakeholders will conduct a post-morterm of the first-round.
