Authors: ARAFAT ISSA and MARTHA NICKSON
AfricaPress-Tanzania: A CALL has been made to security organs to be on the frontline to help clubs in stopping the tendency of selling counterfeit products which paralyses financial capabilities of the teams.
This was said on Friday by Young Africans Vice Chairman Fredrick Mwakalebela during the parading of the club’s home and away new kits to be used in the ongoing top flight league season.
Yanga unveiled their long awaited new jerseys which have got a sketch of Africa map to the left abdominal part and will be sold at 35,000/-.
The colourful event which took place at the newly established Yanga Sports Shop located at the club’s headquarters in the city, was witnessed by SportPesa Director of Administration and Compliance Abbas Tarimba who are key sponsors of the club.
Speaking during the occasion, the club’s Vice Chairman Fredrick Mwakalebela cautioned those people who have bad motives to sell counterfeit jerseys of the club to stop at once.
“This time, we will not tolerate people to continue making profits by selling Yanga jerseys which are fake and once they are identified, strict punishment will be done to them,” Mwakalebela said.
He therefore urged Police, Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and all other concerned government entities to help the club to stop those people who are planning to secretly sell fake products of the club so that the government should also get its required revenue.
He then encouraged Yanga fans to buy the original shirts from authorised dealers while at the same time; they ought to attend Yanga matches in big number.
“This season, we have a competitive squad ready to challenge for titles as such, players just need motivation from supporters who turn up to venues to rally behind them during matches. “Do not be dismayed by the draw we posted on the first day of the season but always be on the watch out for the new team which is capable to stamp positive results any moment,” he said.
On his part, Tarimba noted that running football clubs nowadays is very costly that is why teams manufacture jerseys so that people can buy and help to increase revenue of their clubs.
“One of the methods to create a strong financial base by clubs is to make jerseys and sell them to their fans as such, if fake jerseys are sold, it affects not only the club but also the government in general,” Tarimba said.
He also requested all security organs in the country to play a leading role to ensure that those people behind selling of fake kits of clubs are apprehended and punished according to the available laws.
Also, making his remarks on the day was GSM’s Investment Director Hersi Said who reiterated that they will continue to create concept kits for Yanga.
“Every year, we will be designing Yanga jerseys to go along with the culture of Tanzania and Africa at large,” he briefly said.
With the unveiling of the kit, it means Yanga will be in new outfit when they host Mbeya City in their second league match of the season set at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam tomorrow.
