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The Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has said the recent outbursts by the national Under-20 team on their unpaid allowances in the just ended Cosafa Youth Championship in South Africa were uncalled for, arguing that it is not proper for the players to take advantage of the situation to embarrass the country’s football mother body.
On Thursday last week the Under-20 players issued a 24-hour ultimatum threatening to boycott the semifinal match against Zambia the following day unless Fam paid their allowances which amounted close to K50,000 per player.
The boycott threat followed complaints of food by the players on their way to South Africa by road.
Fam general secretary Yasin Osman said both developments are embarrassing and it displayed lack of discipline and patriotism.
“We have warned them not to boycott this afternoon’s third-place match [against Zimbabwe]. They should not take advantage of the situation to shame their mother body. After all, why did they go to South Africa?” Questioned Osman.
He said many people have sacrificed their time and money for the team to travel to South Africa and “Fam can’t be intimidated or be held at ransom because of the allowances issue”.
Osman also said Fam does not only owe money to the junior players but also the senior national team.
“But their senior colleagues do not open their mouths wider,” he said.
“The situation is far beyond our control and everybody knows that Fam is broke. So why should they play football as a business up to the extent of putting conditions? These are some of the reasons why our football is not developing,” said Osman.
But a soccer analyst, who sought anonymity, said Sunday the association should not “run away” from its responsibility and should tell the players the situation before departure for such tournaments.
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