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| Sports |
| Kanyenda stuck in Jo’burg |
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by
Garry Chirwa, 03 April 2003
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Russian-based stocky forward Essau Kanyenda lost his cool Wednesday and accused Fam of dilly-dallying in arranging for his return trip to his new base Rostov, a situation that has led to the player being stuck in Johannesburg.
To compound to his misery, the Russian Embassy in South Africa refused to provide him with a visa for his trip yesterday demanding an original letter of employment from his club Rostsmalsh.
As if that were not enough, the Flames hitman said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that his Russian club has indicated that he will be fined for showing up late.
“When my manager Ben Chiwaya phoned Fam on Tuesday he was informed that my return ticket was ready and I could get it from Lilongwe International Airport (Lia).
“But when I went to check with Air Malawi desk, they told me there was no ticket for me. I also checked with South African Airways, again there was nothing. I was very confused because I was facing a race against time since my club had given me up to Wednesday to return to Rostov,” explained Kanyenda.
“Lucky enough I had an old return ticket to Johannesburg and I agreed with my manager that I should proceed with my trip to Jo’burg and left him to follow up the matter with Fam with the belief that everything would be sorted out by the time I reached Jo’burg.”
He said by the time he got to Johannesburg there was still no word from Fam about the ticket.
“It is only this morning that I got a call from Chiwaya telling me that Fam has finally sent a ticket through somebody who is flying over this afternoon. I am not amused...I am very disappointed and in future I will have to think twice before coming for national team engagements,” said a seemingly disheartened Kanyenda.
But Fam public relations and marketing officer Isabel Maziya said it was out of misunderstanding that Kanyenda went to check his return ticket at Air Malawi desk at Lia.
“He was supposed to get the ticket from Soche Tours and Travel and not Air Malawi desk. Anyway the issue has since been sorted out and the ticket has been sent to him,” said Maziya.
Chiwaya also confirmed that the situation is now under control.
And commenting on the prospects of being fined, Kanyenda said:
“Rostsmalsh’s agent in South Africa Alex Bondarenko informed me yesterday that my team has indicated that they are likely to slap me with a fine and I have no excuse because my Zambian colleague Gift Kampamba, who also came for an African Nations Cup qualifier, is already back in Rostov.”
Shedding more light on the visa issue, Kanyenda said the Russian Embassy personnel in South Africa stated that they can only issue a visa “when I get an official letter of employment from my club which is on its way.”
He said he is likely to depart Johannesburg for Russia tomorrow evening.
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