Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have turned to Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Ethics Committee after filing grounds of appeal over the controversy surrounding the Airtel Top 8 tie.
In the appeal, Wanderers insist that the Fam Disciplinary Committee erred in law and in failing to hold that the onus of proof rested on the Fam Competitions Committee in terms of Article 99 and 44 of the Fam and Fifa Disciplinary Code, respectively.
This follows the fracas that marred the first leg of the quarterfinal clash between Silver Strikers and Wanderers at Bingu National Stadium when the Bankers scored the second goal after the referee had earlier blown his whistle for an infringement.
In a letter dated December 10 2023, Wanderers asks the Fam Disciplinary Committee and Ethics Committee to take appropriate action against themselves [the two committees], Alfred Gunda [Fam GS] and members of the Competition Committee for behaving in a manner that brings the sport of football and/or Fam into disrepute.
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However, in their appeal, Wanderers argue that they did not cause the abandonment of the match against Silver Strikers on September 23.
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“Fam Disciplinary Committee erred in law and in fact in determining and finding that Wanderers players caused the abandonment of the match.
“Fam Disciplinary Committee erred in fact in determining that Wanderers caused the abandonment of the match, when the match was never restarted after the referee had blown his whistle for an infringement,” Wanderers Board Secretary Chancy Gondwe said.
Gondwe also said they have challenged the accusation that Wanderers did not control their supporters.
“They erred in determining and finding that Wanderers supporters were violent or that they pelted objects in the field of play and damaged stadium seats.
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Neither did we bring the game of football into disrepute,” he said.
Gondwe said Fam Disciplinary Committee, having correctly found that the referee Godfrey Nkhakananga made an obvious error in the interpretation of the Laws of the Game, failed to order either a replay or that the prevailing score of 1-1 should stand.
Gunda was yet to respond to us as we went to press yesterday.
