The Disciplinary Committee at the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has nullified a ruling which required Mighty Mukuru Wanderers to pay K24.5 million fine and has told the association’s Competitions Subcommittee to start over disciplinary proceedings.
The Competitions Subcommittee found Mighty Mukuru Wanderers guilty of causing the abandonment of their Airtel Top 8 quarterfinal first leg against Silver Strikers at Bingu National Stadium last month.
Later, the committee which met virtually on 26 September, 2023, slapped Wanderers with a K24.5 million fine and further awarded the match to Silver Strikers, winning by a margin of 2-0 which saw the team protesting.
The Disciplinary Committee has now faulted the Competitions Subcommittee for not following set procedures when coming up with its determination on the Lali Lubani based team.
The committee says as stipulated on Article 94 of the Disciplinary Code for FAM, the Competitions Subcommittee was supposed to hear from Wanderers before the determination of which did not happened.
“In this regard, Article 94 of the Disciplinary Code for FAM is very clear. The parties shall be heard before any decision is passed. In the view of the Committee, it is clearly the case that no disciplinary measure or indeed any other measure which adversely impacts another can be meted out against any person before that person is heard.
“The Committee forms the distinct view that the infraction of Article 94 of the Disciplinary Code for FAM was even more severe in this case where the right to a hearing was completely abrogated.
“The decisions of such a flawed process cannot stand. The Committee therefore sets aside all of the decisions that were made by the Competitions Committee as communicated in its Determination dated 28th September 2023,” reads part of the statement.
The Disciplinary Committee which comprised of its chairperson Allison M’bang’ombe, vice chairperson Ted Roka and committee member Khumbo Bonzoe Soko has ordered that the Competitions Subcommittee should start over disciplinary proceedings.
Wanderers abandoned the game when referee Godfrey Nkhakananga accepted that Silver Strikers had scored a second goal when he had initially blown the whistle for an infringement in the additional minutes of the match.
