Injunction saga refuses to die

Football Association of Malawi’s (Fam’s) executive committee meeting in Blantyre on Saturday resolved that the injunctions case should be referred to Fam’s disciplinary committee.

New Fam executive acting on Fifa envoy Ashford Mamelodi and Alexandre Gros advice discussed the issue during its first meeting following an injunction that was aimed at stopping Fam from holding elections on December 12 at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge.

Contrary to world football governing body, Fifa’s stance against taking football matters to conventional courts of law, pract ice lawyer, Lusungu Gondwe, obtained an injunction on behalf of Fam losing presidential candidates, Willy Yabwanya Phiri and Wilkins Mijiga.

But the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) treasurer Tiya Somba Banda, who unsuccessfully vied for the Fam first vice-presidency, claimed that he did not consent to the injunction which was also reportedly linked to him.

This happened in presence of Mamelodi and Gros who immediately after the polls asked Fam to punish the culprits saying they should not entertain people that take football matters to court.

An inside source at Fam said the disciplinary committee was the right body that was supposed to handle the issue.

However, Fam currently does not have a disciplinary committee in place following the expiry of tenure of office of the previous committee last December.

“Fam will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on 20 February and one of the top agenda is to elect a new disciplinary committee in place.

“Fam, as a plaintiff, will refer the injunctions, case to the disciplinary committee which will then summon the defendants for a hearing,” said the source.

Somba, speaking from India yesterday, said he will comment if served with an official letter.

Mijiga could pick our calls for comment.

The losing candidates can be banned from football matters if the disciplinary committee finds them guilty.

As a result of elections mudslinging, Fam appeals’ committee, led by Justice Lovemore Chikopa, resigned soon after the polls last December.