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Soccer waste of time
The events of past weeks in sports have clearly demonstrated that the country is on a totally wrong path in pouring big monies in football at the expense of other sporting activities such as athletics and netball. The Flames have been a shame in the past weeks. Then Bakili Bullets did not only humiliate themselves in Nigeria but the whole country when they lost 6-0 to Enyimba. The women’s national team trip to Ethiopia was a waste of time because everybody knew from the start it would also end in disaster. But all this shame in soccer contradicts sharply with what has been happening in other sporting activities. There is no doubt that athletics is making inroads with Catherine Chikwakwa slowly, but surely, establishing herself on the world map. There is also no argument that our Netball Queens are a force to reckon with in this region and our only contender to the throne is South Africa. Yet sadly, the team’s preparations to the Cosana tournament were a shambles. The netballers could not camp due to lack of money. I want to ask government to channel funds to the sporting activities that can put the country on the world map and not otherwise. Football has failed.
Blame yourself, Munthali
Athlete Francis Munthali has himself to blame for being excluded from the squad going to Athens, Greece for Olympic Games in August. True, there might have been some internal politics in the Athletics Association of Malawi as Munthali coach, Isaac Phiri, alleges. Yes, the decision to take young athlete Kondwani Chiwina might have been done by remote control from Tanzania by AAM president Danstain Mwaungulu and duly supported by all executive members except Hackson Chapasa. But at the end of the day it was Munthali himself running and it is him alone who failed to reach the Olympic standard. It is him alone who failed to beat his own record of 3:43 after running 1,500 metres at 3:47 in Congo Brazzaville two weeks ago. Yes, Munthali must show that he is not yet over his prime by improving the record. But he could have shown that he is the best in the event in the country by qualifying for the Olympics.
No excuse BB
Bakili Bullets captain Peter Mponda has a better explanation that led to their 6-0 thorough and convincing thrashing in Nigeria. In all humility Mponda confessed that Enyimba are a couple of miles ahead and they were simply too good for Bullets. This differs from Bullets coach Kinnah Phiri and secretary general Ophman Kondowe who seem to put their disastrous loss down to a water-logged pitch. This reasoning does not hold water and it is an empty excuse. Kinnah and Kondowe know it in their hearts. Surely there were 22 players on the pitch in Nigeria, 11 on each side. The complaint should have come from both teams and not only Bullets. Bullets played Zanaco during qualifiers in a water- logged pitch and Zanaco did not complain. In fact, Bullets should not dare complain because they will just lose their hard-earned money. They should start preparing for the remaining games to save their honour. I say honour because there is no chance for them to go to semifinals.
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