The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Competitions Committee has taken action against Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC, who left the Airtel Top 8 match against Silver Strikers FC and saw their supporters causing damage to seats at Bingu National Stadium.
The FAM’s competitions committee convened virtually on September 26, 2023, to make decisions regarding the 2023 Airtel Top 8 Match between Silver Strikers FC and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC, which was abandoned on September 23, 2023, at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Following a thorough review of relevant match footage, reports from match officials, and two protest letters from Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, the Committee arrived at the following findings and determinations in a statement.Award the match to Silver Strikers FC who win by a margin of two goals to Zero (2-0) after finding Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC guilty of causing the abandonment of the match following their players’ refusal to continue with play in protest of the referee’s decision contrary to article 10.3 of the 2023 Airtel Top 8 Rules and Regulations.
- Impose upon Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC a financial sanction of Five Hundred Thousand Kwacha (K500,000.00) for being found guilty of failure take the necessary precautions to prevent their supporters from displaying unsporting behaviours by throwing objects into the field of play and damaging stadium seats. The Committee has also ordered Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Football Club to pay for the costs associated with the repair and restoration of any damaged facilities at Bingu National Stadium which stands at K22,083,400.00 (Twenty-Two million and Eighty- Three Thousand Six Hundred Kwacha) as per the preliminary assessment by BNS Authorities.
- Impose upon Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC a financial sanction of Two Million Kwacha (K2, 000,000) for being found guilty of bringing the game of football, FAM, and the name of the sponsor into disrepute.
- Refer the matter on the decision by Referee Godfrey Nkhakananga to the FAM Referees’ Committee for review and necessary measures on the referee as the Committee is of the view that Referee, may have made an error in the interpretation of the Laws of the Game by giving an advantage to Silver Strikers after he had blown the whistle for an infringement.
- Found Mighty Mukuru Wanderers protest inadmissible because according to Article 13.5 of the Airtel Top 8 Rules and Regulations the decision taken by the Match Referee during any match relating to interpretation of the Laws of the Game is not subject to protest.
