The use of identical uniforms in the TNM Super League match between defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Chitipa United has sparked questions about the league’s professionalism and organisation.
The football fraternity was stunned after Bullets were allowed to use their traditional red uniforms for their away match against Chitipa, which uses maroon as the home colour.
This is happening in top flight football, where match organisation is also supposed to be top class. To make matters worse, both Chitipa and Bullets wore similar shorts and socks when it is important for players from opposing teams to wear socks and shorts of distinctive colours.
In organised football, all stakeholders involved in match organisation are supposed to attend pre-match meeting where kits are also checked.
However, the match organisers seem to have gone to sleep and allowed both teams to use similar colours.
In this case, the away team, Bullets, were supposed to use a different colour, apart from their traditional red.
Preference is given to the home team to use their home kit instead of the away team.
Before the start of the season, all the teams are supposed to present their home, away and third neutral kit.
Bullets Chief Administration Officer Albert Chigoga downplayed the matter.
“We wore red and the home team wore maroon. These are two different colours through the natural lenses. Both kits were displayed during pre-match meeting and the match assessor did not notice any issues on the colour.
“There is no rule in football that says an away team must wear an away kit. As long as there is no clash, an away team can use any colour,” Chigoga said.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) Chief Executive Officer Faith Mzungu Vilakati referred this reporter to Vice General Secretary Donnex Chilonga, who defended the action.
Chilonga insisted that the pre-match meeting did not observe any problem with the colours of the two kits.
“All the stakeholders that were present at the pre-match meeting were convinced that both teams would use their respective colours. If there was a problem, the visiting team was supposed to use an away or alternative uniform,” Chilonga said
However, referee David Chinoko insisted there was no problem with the colours.
“These are two different colours. I was able to see the players properly,’’ he claimed.
Some soccer analysts have accused match organisers of sleeping on duty.
Former Malawi National Football Team defender Clement Kafwafwa described the situation as a disgrace to domestic football.
“This is an elite league and, before the game, they normally have a pre-match meeting. The norms and standards should be observed at this level,’’ Kafwafwa said.
Another sports analyst, Parry Chinyama, blamed Bullets for using the red kit.
“Bullets, being an away team, should have known this and should have used a white coloured kit. The look-alike uniforms bring confusion because referees can easily make mistakes in making decisions,’’ Chinyama said.
In organised football, two teams cannot use maroon and red. In a televised match, the two colours can look the same.
Several teams have been forced to use a neutral kit if the colours look similar.