Central Region Volleyball League bans Kamuzu Barracks

Tom Sangala March 5, 2018

358 1 minute read

Central Region Volleyball League (CRVL) has, with immediate effect, banned national champions, Kamuzu Barracks (KB), from all volleyball activities for the 2018 season due to misconduct.

KB have been found guilty of bringing the game of volleyball into disrepute after several incidents during league matches.

A statement, signed by CRVL acting Chairperson, Wanangwa Gausi indicates that some of KB’s players displayed unsporting behaviour during the team’s ceremonial game against Mipuniro Spikers as part of activities to spice up last season’s prize presentation ceremony in Lilongwe on February 17 2018.

The committee noted that KB failed to put their house in order, having been on the wrong side of most disciplinary matters for many years.

“While the game was in progress, it was noted that a KB player (Mr MacGodwin Mangani) who was on the field of play, left the court to confront a Mipuniro Spikers supporter — bringing the game to a temporary halt,” reads part of the statement.

“While everyone was in the mood for prize presentat ion, it was discovered that three of KB senior men players, namely John Hara, Yokonia Chituta and Bernard James Khonsolo Manda, assaulted the same individual who was earlier confronted by Mr Mangani.

“This happened in plain sight of the victim’s four-year-old nephew who was traumatised and had to seek refuge in the urinal. All of this happened in front of our sponsor, Mr Charles Zimba of Sempha Investments.”

Following the suspension, KB have been ordered to surrender the Sempha Investments Trophy, which they won last year, before the start of the new season. The committee has also banned KB from taking part in international competitions.

Additionally, the statement says no KB senior men’s player registered in the 2017 season would be allowed to register with any other CRVL or other regional volleyball governing bodies’ teams for the entire 2018 season.

Mangani has also lost his status as referee for what the statement says is his failure to lead by example as a referee and an instructor.

KB General Secretary, Alvin Sambo, did not respond to phone calls for his comment while efforts to speak to Mangani also proved futile.

KB were also involved in issues of misconduct mid last year during a Volleyball Association of Malawi (Vam) national tournament in Lilongwe.

The soldiers boycotted a game when one of their players, who verbally abused the match referee, was given marching orders, forcing the entire team to walk out in protest.

After KB’s refusal to return to the court, Vam ended up presenting the trophy to the soldiers’ opponents, Thunders, in a match played at Lilongwe Community Centre ground.

Another incident involved an official who physically assaulted a scorer for a mistake in announcing points during one of their games.