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| Sports |
| Lawyers warns Sulom against bending rules |
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by
Leonard Sharra, 25 August 2004
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14:11:58
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Chairman of Sulom’s legal affairs committee George Bakuwa has advised the Super League body to follow what the rules and regulations governing the league say on relegation and promotion of teams into the Super League.
But a section of football stakeholders has suggested against the removal of teams with established sponsorship and structures.
Reacting to suggestions that Dwasco, Illovo and Super Escom should be spared the chop because of the steady sponsorship and good structures they have, Bakuwa said Sulom did not need to consult on the issue of relegation.
“Rules are rules. Those who have failed have to go. If it was Admarc Tigers facing relegation, were people going to say the team should be relegated because it has no structures? Whether a team has got a steady sponsorship or not, the rules have to be applied fairly,” said Bakuwa who has served as an official of the financially struggling Tigers.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam)’s spokesman McCollins Chibvunde and Central Region Football League (CRFL) general secretary Paul Mzungu concurred with Bakuwa that the rules had to be respected.
“When Fam handed over the management of the Super League to Sulom, the league body inherited the rules and regulations that were set aside by Fam. If they (Sulom) wanted to change the rules, they could have done so before the start of the league season. In this case the rules have to apply,” said Mzungu.
Mzungu said Sulom should not dare protect teams on the basis of their status, saying there were teams in the regional leagues, which were eyeing promotion into the Super League.
“If Manchester United finishes in the relegation zone, can he English Premier League spare them the chop because they are a rich club?
“Teams should go into the Super League to compete and not to be passengers. If one team can manage to winning the league championship for six years running, it means there is no competition in the Super League,” said Mzungu.
But Southern Region Football League general secretary Anthony Chimphepo, whose league is expected to contribute one team to the Super League, felt Dwasco, Escom and Illovo should be spared.
“I don’t see some of the teams we have in the premier leagues sustaining themselves in the Super League. We may relegate the established teams and find that their replacements are failing to cope up with the heat in the Super League. We don’t even know the future of teams like Admarc Tigers and MDC United,” said Chimphepo.
The SRFL general secretary suggested that three regional champions should play each other to identify one Super League candidate.
Supporting Chimphepo were Southern Region Football Association general secretary Raphael Humba and Escom coach Stuart Mbolembole.
“If teams like Dwasco, Illovo, Escom get relegated, I don’t see them coming back. Sponsors may not be interested to sponsor a team in the regional leagues.
“But it’s up to Sulom to apply the rules or seek views from stakeholders,” said Mbolembole whose team is only banking on Moyale Barracks to beat Mafco to survive the chop.
According to the rules and regulations governing the Super League, four teams have to face the chop with three earning promotion. |
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