Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi National Netball Team players will have to wait a bit longer to receive outstanding allowances as Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) is yet to secure funds for the cause.
Queens players have been voicing out their concerns silently for fear of repercussions as the authorities threatened to take a hardline on players who will go on record. According to the players, who did not want to be named, the association is yet to pay them game bonuses amounting to about K4.8 million.
The amount covers game bonuses for taking part in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in England, the United Kingdom, and Africa Zone Netball World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.
Nam General Secretary Chimwemwe Bakali said they had presented a proposal for funding to the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS). “We have been assured that we will get funds to pay the players,” he said.
MNCS Public Relations and Communications Officer Edgar Ntulumbwa said the Queens should not despair. “They will surely get paid. They should appreciate that Nam exhausted its allocation for the year and, as such, we have started the process again through the Ministry of Sports and the Treasury,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nam has pegged the Queens’ budget for the 2023 Netball World Cup finals at K350 million. Bakali said the amount covers the senior teams’ preparations and eventual participation in the competition.
“We want to start with a talent identification exercise next month so that the talent should be fused into the team. We also plan to hold camps and play friendlies before the World Cup. This amount covers everything, from preparations to participation in World Cup activities,” he said.
The Netball World Cup will run from July 28 to August 6 at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. The Queens were drawn in Pool B with England, Scotland and Barbados.
However, netball analyst Neffie Kam’mata said Nam must act with urgency. “The association seems relaxed but we don’t have a lot of time to raise a team,” she said. Queens are ranked second in Africa and sixth in the world.
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