Mighty Mukuru Wanderers are seething with rage after being fined K24 million for various offences surrounding the ill-fated Airtel Top 8 Cup season six match against Silver Strikers at Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe last weekend.
To make matters worse, Wanderers have also lost the match 2-0.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Competitions Committee released a determination of the matter Thursday following a fracas that marred the match leading to its abandonment and subsequent vandalism of BNS property.
The determination gave the match to Silver after finding Wanderers guilty of causing abandonment of the match following their players’ refusal to continue playing as they protested the referee’s decision, contrary to article 10.3 of the competition’s rules and regulations.
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The committee further ordered Wanderers to pay K500,000 for failing to take necessary precautions to prevent their supporters from displaying unsporting behaviour by throwing objects into the field of play and damaging stadium seats.
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“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 as per the preliminary assessment by BNS authorities,” reads the determination which has been signed by Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda.
Wanderers were also slapped with a K2 million fine for being found guilty of bringing the game of football, Fam, and the name of the sponsor into disrepute.
The committee referred referee Godfrey Nkhakananga to Fam’s Referees Committee for review of his performance during the match and necessary measures.
“The committee is of the view that [the] 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,” the determination reads.
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However, the verdict has not gone down well with Wanderers, who feel certain quarters are out to destroy the team.
Wanderers Board Secretary Chancy Gondwe described the ruling as a horrendous decision and threatened to pull out of all competitions.
“This cements our fears of a grand conspiracy to kill Wanderers. It is a script that is being played. Maybe we just pull out of all cups and the league? When the Competition Committee is full of our rivals, what can you expect?
“We are not a small team to be messed up like that. We shall make sure that our rights and interests are protected. Whatever it takes, we shall protect and safeguard this iconic team,” he said.
Suspected Wanderers fans went on the rampage after Nkhakananga awarded Silver a goal when he had earlier blown his whistle for a free-kick to Silver following a handball incident committed by a Wanderers player.
Before the controversial Stain Davie goal, the teams were tied at 1-1 after Wanderers’ Gaddie Chirwa had cancelled out George Chiomba’s first half strike.
During a recent tour of the stadium by Youth and Sports Minister Uchizi Mkandawire, BNS authorities indicated that 239 seats were broken on the day of the match.
