Yabwanya not appealing against ban

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) former presidential aspirant Willy Yabwanya Phiri will not appeal against his ban arguing that the “manner in which the case was handled was unfair and bogus.”

Over a month ago, Yabwanya Phiri and fellow presidential aspirant Wilkins Mijiga were banned for one year from taking part in any football related activity after obtaining a court injunction stopping FAM from proceeding with its elective annual general meeting (AGM) last December.

He was reacting to FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda’s revelation yesterday that the appeal’s hearing would be held next week.

“Let them go ahead with the hearing. My position on this is that I am not appealing. I did nothing wrong. I justified my decision to take the matter to court because FAM was not addressing our grievances,” said Yabwanya Phiri in a telephone interview from Canada.

He said by imposing a ban on him, “it was a clear indication that  FAM disciplinary committee did not take our arguments seriously.”

“The whole process is bogus so I will not argue my case further,” he said.

FAM’s disciplinary committee, in its ruling, established that the duo’s conduct contravened Article 68 of the Federation of International Football Associations (Fifa) Statutes and Article 47 of FAM Statutes.

Mijiga, through his lawyer David Kanyenda, appealed against the verdict some weeks ago.

Nyirenda said they will go ahead with the appeal hearing next week.

“We have concluded that Mr. Yabwanya is not appealing considering the time that has passed since the ruling. We gave the accused enough time to appeal and we will move on,” he said.

Nyirenda said they will liaise with Mijiga’s lawyer on the exact day for the hearing. n