Malawi Women’s National Football Team defender Patricia Nyirenda could be forced into early retirement following a tear of the anterior crucial ligament (ACL) in her right knee.
The utility defender sustained the injury in the 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship 2-0 semi-final defeat to Zambia on October 28 in Gerbea, South Africa.
Since then, the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Lionesses captain is yet to go for surgery following a misunderstanding between Football Association of Malawi (Fam) and the club.
Differences have erupted over who is responsible for her medical bills.
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Following the injury, Nyirenda has been ruled out of the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifier against Congo Brazzaville next month.
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In an interview yesterday, Lionesses General Secretary Nizzah Jere claimed that they exhausted all channels to get assistance from Fam.
“We requested Fam to assist the player to go for surgery but the answers have not been satisfactory,” Jere said.
According to Jere, the club is now considering sending her to hospital to save her football career.
“She was certified fit before the Cosafa Cup, which means she got injured while playing for the Scorchers. This means Fam was supposed to be responsible for her medical bills,” Jere said.
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A recent scan at a Lilongwe hospital revealed that Nyirenda has a torn meniscus.
Fam Competitions and Communications Director Gomezgani Zakazaka said Lionesses were responsible for arranging and financing the treatment of the player.
“It has to be noted that the tournament was played during the Fifa Window and Cosafa sought clearance from Fifa to designate the matches of the tournament as A.
“The club with which the player concerned is registered shall be responsible for his insurance cover against illness and accident during the entire period of his release. This cover must also extend to any injuries sustained by the player during the international match(es) [for] which he was released,” he said.
According to the Fifa Club Protection Programme, if a professional player participating in 11-a-side football suffers, during the period of his release for an “A” match, a bodily injury caused by accident and is, as a consequence of such an injury, totally disabled, the club with which the player concerned is registered will be indemnified by Fifa.
Medical expert Jones Kamponda Masiye said if not properly managed, a torn meniscus could have several consequences for a football player.
“The dangerous one is where there is reduced mobility and flexibility, which are needed in football if a player is agile. This may impact the player’s spirits, turns which are not avoidable in football,” he said.
Nyirenda has been a key member of the Scorchers for more than seven years.
She was part of the squad that won the 2023 Cosafa Women’s Championship following a 2-1 victory over Zambia.
