Airtel Malawi plc has said violence has the potential to scare would-be football sponsors.
The company’s managing director Charles Kamoto made the remarks during the Season 6 Airtel Top 8 Cup final involving eventual winners FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and runners-up Mafco at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday.
His comments come after the opening match of the tournament between Silver Strikers and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers was marred by violence at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Ironically, the match was abandoned in the 92nd minute after Wanderers players protested Fifa Grade One referee Godfrey Nkhakananga’s decision to award Silver a ‘dubious’ goal.
But speaking for the first time after the incident, Kamoto said violence has no space in football.
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“We are excited with the tournament, except the Wanderers saga— which did not please us to be honest. We wish [that] football would be won on the pitch [and] we hope that that will be the spirit going forward.
“I appeal to fans and teams. Let us play football and win on the pitch. Let us also ensure that officiation is managed well to protect the good game of football,” he said.
The company has been sponsoring the tournament, which involves top 8 teams in the Super League, since 2017.
However, Kamoto was non-committal on the future of the tournament.
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“It is time to go back to the drawing board and discuss, also, opportunities that still lie ahead of us. We will see what happens [and] what we will cook from there,” he said.
This was the final year of the K234 million sponsorship agreement between Airtel and Football Association of Malawi(Fam).
It was signed in 2021.
Fam President Fleetwood Haiya said discussions have commenced with Airtel on the possibility of extending the deal.
“We have a good relationship with Airtel and we hope they will come back with a revised package despite economic hardships being faced in the country,” Haiya said.
Airtel Malawi increased the three-year sponsorship package from K198 million to K234 million.
Since 2017, Bullets and Silver are the only teams that have won the cup twice each.
Wanderers and Blue Eagles have won it once.
