Wanderers asked to payK24.5m forAirtel Top 8 fracas

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will be liable for the damages caused at Bingu National Stadium by their alleged supporters which stand at K22 million, following the abandonment of their Airtel Top 8 quarter-final against Silver Strikers.

But the Nomads say they are shell-shocked by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) subcommittee determination which found them guilty of contravening article 10.3 of the 2023 Airtel Top 8 Rules and Regulations.

FAM competitions subcommittee on Thursday released its determination, fining Wanderers K2.5 million and liable for the replacement of 239 chairs damaged by their supporters.

According to a letter from Bingu National Stadium manager Ambilike Mwaungulu, each chair costs $55 and in total FAM as organisers of the competition have to bear the costs.

The letter reads in part: “The estimated cost for replacing each chair is placed at $55. Taking it that $1 is equal to K1 680, the estimated cost for replacing one chair is K92 400. For 239 chairs at K92 400 is K22 083 400. Further we recommend the need to replace the chairs at your cost as organisers or at the cost of the perpetrators as you will identify them.”

The FAM competitions subcommittee has since pushed the costs to Wanderers and awarded the match to Silver by a margin of 2-0.

Wanderers have also been fined K2 million for bringing football into disrepute and K500 000 for failing to control their supporters.

In reaction to the verdict, Wanderers acting chief executive officer Roosevelt Mpinganjira in an interview on Thursday said they are shocked by the verdict.

He said: “We are still digesting the determination by FAM competitions subcommittee and we will respond in a press statement very soon. But all I can say now is that we are very sad and shocked.”

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda in an interview said Wanderers can challenge the determination because it has loopholes.

He said: “The determination is in two parts. The first part is on the abandonment of the match. The determination acknowledges that the referee Godfrey Nkhakananga blew the whistle for a handball, but went on to allow the play to continue and Silver scored.

“Wanderers are held responsible for the abandonment of the game that is why they have been fined K2 00 000. They have also been fiend K500 000 for failing to control their supporters. This also places the Nomads as responsible for the violence that followed and the damage of the stadium.

“Now, the other part is the damage of the stadium property which mainly are the plastic bucket chairs. According to the assessment by the stadium authorities, 239 seats were destroyed. The question is how much does a seat cost? I find the K22 million to be very high. I am not convinced that what was damaged can cost that much.”

Nyirenda also asked for a quick determination on the fate of the referee by the FAM referees committee.

He said: “I expected both determinations to be out at the same time. Otherwise, putting people in suspense on the fate of the referee is like the person who is responsible for 80 percent of what happened on that fateful day is being shielded from blame.”

But FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the competition and referees committees are independent bodies and their reports cannot be out at the same time.

He said: “The referees’ subcommittee will have to meet and come up with their own verdict on the referee’s fate after the competitions committee’s determination.