Malawi National Netball Team legend Mary Waya has stirred a heated debate following claims that some male coaches in African netball abuse their powers by enticing players into relationships.
Waya, who is the Director of Netball at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has been quoted as saying this by BBC Sport.
She reportedly said women are pressured into relationships in the hope of securing selection.
She told the publication that female players are made to feel “insecure” by coaches.
“Most African teams have male coaches; so, that’s the biggest challenge. You will find that when you go to the competition, to the changing rooms, you feel insecure because of these male coaches,” the 55-year-old told BBC Sport Africa.
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Waya further told the publication that different gender dynamics between male and female coaches and players can cause problems.
“If they are female coaches, you feel safe because you have got a ‘mother’ near you. You know I am protected.
“With male coaches, we always look at them as our ‘fathers’ and then they easily tell us, ‘I’m not your father, if you want to go to the national team, you have to be my [girlfriend], so that you can be at the top of the team,” Waya, who was part of the Queens that finished seventh at the Netball World Cup finals in 2007, said.
However, Waya’s remarks have attracted differing comments from netball pundits, with some faulting players for not knowing their wealth while others have proposed the introduction of guidelines to protect players from sexual harassment.
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Retired netballer Neffie Kam’mata said it was a complicated issue which needed thorough but sober investigations.
“In most cases, we have male coaches because they are the ones who show interest and pass well during examinations. However, there is a problem with some women because they tend to overlook female coaches but they respect male coaches.
“In my entire time as a player, there was never a time that some male coaches made advances on me. In this case, I cannot say anything because maybe she is speaking from experience,” Kam’mata, who played for over 10 years, said.
However, Kam’mata, who is now a trained bench official, faulted both players and male coaches for the malpractice.
“Such reports are common nowadays. It is a two-way thing because, in some cases, it is the players who sell themselves while male coaches might be using their position to get sexual favours. Lastly, let me say that not all male coaches indulge in this immoral behaviour,” she said.
Local netball pundit Lusekelo Kayuni shared the sentiments.
“I do not agree [with what Waya said] maybe [she is speaking] from her experience since she was once a player. Otherwise, relationships cannot be forced. You have an association; why not report to the association or Malawi National Council of Sports? Some women just love money and end up offering sexual favours to be part of a squad. They are old enough to say ‘no’ and protect themselves,” she said.
Kayuni said to protect netball players from potential issues with male coaches, it is crucial to implement guidelines and measures that promote safety, respect and professionalism.
“This could involve thorough background checks, appropriate training for coaches or working with athletes of all genders, open communication channels and the presence of female coaches or mentors when possible. Ultimately, the focus should be on creating an atmosphere where players can thrive and develop without any concerns for their well-being,” she said.
Local netball pundit Stella Guga said players must not fall for sexual players.
“You cannot protect someone who does not want to be protected. The girl child must know her wealth first to protect themselves. I am saying this because once they know their wealth and what they bring to the table, they will be able to stand for themselves,” she said
Meanwhile, Nam General Secretary Isaac Chimwala has said the association has not received any complaints but promised to investigate the matter.
“We have a code of conduct and, besides the code of conduct, we also have safeguarding as part of the tools we employ in managing the national team.
“Coming from a former national team player, the association will not take this lightly. I must state that such behaviour is uncalled for. The board will certainly meet on this issue to determine the way forward,” he said.
