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World football governing body Fifa on Tuesday put its cards on the table and stated that Sports Council did nothing wrong by asking newly elected Fam executive members to submit the required Malawi Schools Certificate of Education (MSCE) because it is provided for in Fam’s new constitution.
However, Fifa questioned the Council’s logic in giving the green light to those that did not produce their certificates to contest at the elections.
Fifa’s technical development officer Ashford Mamelodi, who is also Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) general secretary Ashford Mamelodi, described the latest upshot in the seemingly never-ending wrangles as a big disappointment.
“Honestly I thought the dust would now settle but it’s disappointing to learn that the problems are still going on and the situation is not health for Malawian football.
“I personally do not think Sports Council was wrong to demand the certificates because that is provided for in the constitution but the problem here is that it allowed those that did not produce the certificates to contest.
“The constitution states that certificates should be produced prior to the elections and by allowing these people to stand, the assumption was that the candidates did produce the certificates,” said Mamelodi in a telephone interview from Botswana’s capital Gaborone.
He added: “These people were allowed to contest and the general assembly elected them into office but on the other hand these people are assumed not to process the papers because they failed to submit them to the Council...so I would say the situation is a bit tricky looking at both sides of the coin.”
Quizzed on whether Sports Council’s move to demand certificates can be viewed as government interference, Mamelodi said: “I don’t think so, Sports Council is only acting as a returning officer...and as I said the provision of the certificates is there in the constitution but its the manner in which Council handled it that has created all these complications.”
Mamelodi said the impression that he gets from the whole scenario is that those who lost are using the issue of certificates to go into office through the back door.
However, Mamelodi said he is scheduled to visit the country next week and he will take it as an opportunity to assess the situation.
“But the final decision will be made by Fifa, Cosafa executive will also meet to come with its own decision in due course,” stressed Mamelodi.
The Fifa and Cosafa official also said Bester Kalombo, who is director of sports in the Ministry of Sports, should not have been allowed to contest.
“Even though it is not provided for in the Fam constitution, Kalombo should not have been allowed to stand because there is a clear conflict of interest,” he said.
Mamelodi also confirmed having spoken to Fam president Sameer Suleman on the issue.
“But we have not made any stand as yet, we want to get both sides of the story and that is why I am saying I can only come up with a concrete comment after I come that side,” he said.
Suleman, his two veeps Anderson Zimba and Steve Msambila and two executive members Peter Chavula and Raphael Humba failed to meet last Friday’s call off point to submit their certificates.
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World football governing body Fifa on Tuesday put its cards on the table and stated that Sports Council did nothing wrong by asking newly elected Fam executive members to submit the required Malawi Schools Certificate of Education (MSCE) because it is provided for in Fam’s new constitution.
However, Fifa questioned the Council’s logic in giving the green light to those that did not produce their certificates to contest at the elections.
Fifa’s technical development officer Ashford Mamelodi, who is also Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) general secretary Ashford Mamelodi, described the latest upshot in the seemingly never-ending wrangles as a big disappointment.
“Honestly I thought the dust would now settle but it’s disappointing to learn that the problems are still going on and the situation is not health for Malawian football.
“I personally do not think Sports Council was wrong to demand the certificates because that is provided for in the constitution but the problem here is that it allowed those that did not produce the certificates to contest.
“The constitution states that certificates should be produced prior to the elections and by allowing these people to stand, the assumption was that the candidates did produce the certificates,” said Mamelodi in a telephone interview from Botswana’s capital Gaborone.
He added: “These people were allowed to contest and the general assembly elected them into office but on the other hand these people are assumed not to process the papers because they failed to submit them to the Council...so I would say the situation is a bit tricky looking at both sides of the coin.”
Quizzed on whether Sports Council’s move to demand certificates can be viewed as government interference, Mamelodi said: “I don’t think so, Sports Council is only acting as a returning officer...and as I said the provision of the certificates is there in the constitution but its the manner in which Council handled it that has created all these complications.”
Mamelodi said the impression that he gets from the whole scenario is that those who lost are using the issue of certificates to go into office through the back door.
However, Mamelodi said he is scheduled to visit the country next week and he will take it as an opportunity to assess the situation.
“But the final decision will be made by Fifa, Cosafa executive will also meet to come with its own decision in due course,” stressed Mamelodi.
The Fifa and Cosafa official also said Bester Kalombo, who is director of sports in the Ministry of Sports, should not have been allowed to contest.
“Even though it is not provided for in the Fam constitution, Kalombo should not have been allowed to stand because there is a clear conflict of interest,” he said.
Mamelodi also confirmed having spoken to Fam president Sameer Suleman on the issue.
“But we have not made any stand as yet, we want to get both sides of the story and that is why I am saying I can only come up with a concrete comment after I come that side,” he said.
Suleman, his two veeps Anderson Zimba and Steve Msambila and two executive members Peter Chavula and Raphael Humba failed to meet last Friday’s call off point to submit their certificates.
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