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The Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association of Malawi (Ocgam) has told its affiliates not to rush into announcing names of athletes to take part in All Africa Games slated for Abuja, Nigeria in October.
Ocgam president Jerome Waluza said the affiliates are responsible for selection of athletes because the associations know their abilities better but they have to wait for approval by Sports Council or Ocgam.
“We cannot argue with them (affiliates) on who should be on the list but they should not rush. They have no mandate to announce the names because the final list has to be approved by Sports Council,” said Waluza.
Waluza said it is too early to release names of people on the travelling list because it has to be established if there are adequate funds to allow teams to travel to Nigeria.
The Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) released names of athletes with Mzee Makawa as the coach a couple of weeks ago.
But some quarters wanted Isaac Phiri who trains Catherine Chikwakwa and Francis Munthali to travel with the athletes.
AAM general secretary Hackson Chapasa said he was surprised that Phiri, who was on the original list, was replaced by Makawa.
“Ocgam asked me to explain why Phiri was chosen and I told them that he was assigned to train Chikwakwa and Munthali during their scholarship and it would be a good trial for him because the same athletes would be going to the Abuja Games,” Chapasa said.
“If there is need for an assistant coach then that could be a different arrangement,” he said.
Sports Council executive secretary George Jana said council coordinates with the associations, which have the right to select athletes to represent Malawi.
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