Sulom rebuffs Wanderers over Blantyre derby venue

Advertisement

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has rebuffed Be Forward Wanderers’ request to have the Blantyre derby against Nyasa Big Bullets played at Balaka Stadium, which is their home ground.

Wanderers were adamant of using the stadium for the crucial encounter as stipulated in Sulom’s article 16 which gives mandate to the home team to use its venue.

Mike Butao
Mike Butao: Balaka Stadium is our venue.

Earlier last week, Nomads General Secretary Mike Butao told Sulom that their anticipated clash with Bullets will be played at Balaka because it’s their venue.

“Balaka Stadium is our venue and we will play Nyasa Big Bullets right there as stipulated in Sulom’s rules and regulations. In the first round, Bullets used Bingu National Stadium as their home venue and with us being the home team now, we have decided to take the match to Balaka Stadium,” he told the local media.

However, the decision has been turned down by Sulom.

According to the fixtures released by Sulom on Sunday evening, the Blantyre derby will be played at the magnificent Bingu National Stadium on 28th October, months after the Nomads lost to their opponents twice in Carlsberg Cup and TNM Super League encounters at the same stadium.

Apart from Sulom, Bullets were also ready to protest against Wanderers’ choice of the venue saying Balaka Stadium is too small to host two Malawian giants as far as football is concerned in Malawi.

“As Bullets, we will react once their office stand is known. In any case, we will not partake of any nasty eventualities at Balaka Stadium as a result of overwhelming crowds. This insensitivity by Wanderers is bad for the game if they refuse to give in to voices of reason,” said Bullets General Secretary Albert Chigoga.

In 2013, a football fan died at Balaka Stadium during a Super League tie between Wanderers and Silver Strikers when fans from the two teams clashed