Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has bended regulations on suspensions by allowing red carded players from one competition to feature in another following a malfunction of a digital competitions management system (CMS) which the association introduced this season.

This is against Fifa set standard regulations which state that “any suspension should be carried over to the team’s next official match”.

FAM, when introducing the digital CMS for its elite competitions, said the system would harmonise match organisation operations so that all matches across the country regardless of competition are delivered with same standards.

The association said it had successfully tried it in 2021 Airtel Top 8 and the NBS Bank Charity Shield at the beginning of the 2022 season.

A referee flashes a card to a player in a previous match

However, the system, which generates draws, fixtures, match line-ups, technical statistics and match commissioners and referees reports, is far from perfect as it has led the association to flout the most important aspect of harmonising competitions management by failing to crossover cards.

Because of this fault, players

 suspended in the TNM Super League can play in the next match if it is in cup game such as FDH Bank Cup or Airtel Top 8.

The same applies if a player is dismissed in a cup game; they can still feature in the league games.

FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the competitions software, which it got from world football governing body Fifa, is unable to crossover red and yellow cards.

He said: “We explained to the clubs on this challenge. We are still working on how to fix this problem.”

But clubs have accused FAM of rushing to introduce the system which is faulty.

Silver Strikers chief executive officer Thoko Chimbali said it was better to operate without the software since it is failing to crossover the cards.

He said: “It is very important that the system should cater for all the competitions otherwise, it is as good as being without one.”

Bullets chief adminstration officer Albert Chigoga said FAM had failed its promise to fix the system.

He said: “It was explained to us that the system being used was unable to carry forward cards from one competition to another. FAM even promised

that it was working on the anomaly.

“Truth be told, this is a retrogressive management of competitions. Not only is it susceptible to abuse, but it also defeats the integrity of the game.”

Soccer analyst Patrick Zgambo said FAM should have reverted to manual system when it comes to suspensions.

He said: “There should be absolutely no reason why red and yellow cards shouldn’t cross. Whose responsibility is it currently to hold that record? That system is updated from match reports from match officials, who are the custodians. The referees know who is suspended and should not be featured in the next match even if the system fails to do so.”

Zgambo said allowing suspended players to feature in other competitions puts the game of football into disrepute.

He said: “Being suspended for a league match and still being able to play in cup games is in itself dubious and brings the game into disrepute.

“Suspensions are punishments. It makes no sense to give someone a free card because it’s a different competition. That’s just ridiculous. No one should go to heaven for stealing a Bible.”

National Football Referees Association general secretary Alfred Kalichero said it was possible to apply the crossover of cards regulation through manual records.

He said: “But as referees, we only follow what FAM, as the organiser of the competitions, has asked us to do.”

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