Team Malawi was destined to end its Commonwealth Games medal drought at the 2010 New Delhi Games but the efforts of the late athlete Mike Tebulo ended in vain, Malawi News Sport can reveal.
Renowned athletics coach Francis Munthali has made a startling claim, alleging that Tebulo finished third during the 42-kilometre event but missed the podium finish recognition on technicalities.
Key Team Malawi officials were in no show to lodge an official complaint within 24 hours of the race as stipulated by the competition’s rules.
Munthali claimed Team Malawi officials were either engaged with other duties or went for sightseeing, which limited the team’s chances of securing a medal.
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“The late Tebulo had finished third during the marathon but he was erroneously placed in fourth position. At that moment, I was the only one with the athlete. I remember vividly that coaches from Kenya and other countries were congratulating me for Tebulo’s exploits as he matched Kenya finishing third.
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“Upon reaching the running track I was told that Tebulo had ended in fourth position. As such I was told to lodge a complaint for the officials to review our case. However, Malawi was supposed to pay $150 to review our case. My colleagues from Kenya encouraged me to pay since they believed that Team Malawi had a strong case. Unfortunately, I had no money and back then the phones were not handy to seek immediate attention. We had travelled to the venue without Team Malawi officials. I presume that our officials might have been busy with other activities or perhaps went sightseeing,” he said.
Munthali said his efforts to get help from Team Malawi officials were futile as 24 hours elapsed before filing an official complaint.
“By then, Malawi’s drought for a Commonwealth Games medal was at 24 years but now we are talking of about 40 years. It is painful that we did not get our medal,” he said.
However, Malawi Olympic Committee (Moc) Secretary General Henry Sakala, said the claims were unfounded as it has taken over 10 years to be made.
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“We neither dispute nor agree with the claims. In athletics, it was possible to get a clear result because they use cameras. One other thing that also matters in athletics is the finish. That is why we have a photo-finish system determining winners during a tight race.
“It is strange that 24 hours elapsed before the coach relayed the message to the officials to act. We had to follow the rules just like in any other competition,” he said.
Nevertheless, Sakala said Team Malawi might have had a strong case which could have helped reduce medal drought.
“When we travel we urge officials to be proactive. Such an incident, if it happened, was enough to call for an emergency action,” he said.
Team Malawi has three Commonwealth Games medals, all bronzes, with the last podium finish coming in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1986, when Lyton Mphande and Kondowe ended third in their respective division’s contests.
Boxer Tatu Chionga won Malawi’s first Commonwealth Games medal in 1970’s.
