Silver Strikers say the acts of violence against Nyasa Big Bullets during the FDH Bank Cup in August last year at Silver Stadium were fueled by Super League of Malawi’s failure to address concerns raised by the Area 47 giants when they visited Kamuzu Stadium for a league match.
On Tuesday, the Central Bankers made a public apology to Football Association of Malawi, Bullets, FDH Bank and all football loving Malawians for what they call ‘unsporting behavior’ that occurred before, during and after the match in which officials from FAM and Bullets were harassed by the home fans.
But despite making the apology, the 2021 FDH Bank Cup winners have blamed Sulom for ‘deliberate failure to attend to an earlier matter of violence’ when Silver Strikers played Bullets in a league match, claiming the team’ security personnel was assaulted by the home team.
“Silver Strikers Football Club has noted that there were many factors that contributed to the violence and unfortunate events including deliberate failure by Super League of Malawi Executive to attend to an earlier matter of violence that happened at Kamuzu Stadium on 30th July, 2021 between Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club and Silver Strikers Football Club, failure to adhere to Covid-19 Prevention and Management Restrictions, less number of Police Officers and Stewards to control the situation and that more people entered the stadium than what was discussed and arranged by all the stakeholders,” reads part of the statement.
However, the Lilongwe based side was quick to apologize for whatever happened on that day.
“However, we reiterate that violence, hooliganism, unsporting behavior and unprofessionalism have no justification. Silver Strikers Football Club therefore apologizes for all what happened.”
“Silver Strikers Football Club has meanwhile taken progressive steps to address the matter so that such events do not happen again,” further reads the statement.
The violence was orchestrated by Mulo Makina, a staunch Bankers fan, who assembled a group of youngsters to cause havoc at Silver Stadium by beating and bullying opponents, invading opponents’ dressing room during half time and pouring urine on the visiting team.
After the match, Bullets team had to evacuate the Stadium using a Silver Strikers bus as a caliphate was put in place against the visiting team by Makina and his members.
The action by Makina’s led group saw FAM imposing a life time ban on the supporter and also imposed a one-year ban on Silver Stadium which was later put on hold following an appeal by the Central Bankers.
