Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has told the National Football Referees Association that it was not impressed with officiation standards last season.

The flagship football league runners raised the concern during a meeting they had with the referees body on Sunday in Lilongwe where it was also agreed to increase officiation fees from K180 000 per set to K240 000, representing a 33.3 percent hike.

Referee Gift Chicco shows former Silver Strikers coach Pieter de Jongh the red card in this file photo

A source said the Sulom team told the referees that the standards were poor and that they expect an improvement in the 2024 season which kicks off this Saturday.

“Sulom officials made it clear that they were not amused with some of the basic mistakes the referees made last season which attracted a backlash from stakeholders, including teams,” said the source.

In an interview yesterday, the referees body’s general secretary Chris Kalichero confirmed both the concern and the officiation fee increase.

He said: “I can confirm that the meeting indeed took place and we asked for a review of the officiation fees, bearing in mind a number of factors such as the devaluation of the kwacha and high cost of living.

“The Sulom officials understood our point and they agreed to raise the fees from K180 000 to K240 000 per set for a match. On how the fees will be shared, that will be agreed by the relevant committees.

“We also raised the issue of travel challenges, especially when our members go to places such as Dwangwa [in Nkhotakota] and Karonga due to the poor state of the roads.

“So, we negotiated that the referees should be allowed to arrive on the eve of the match day and depart a day after and that the costs should also be factored in.”

Kalichero also confirmed Sulom’s concern on the standards of officiation.

He said: “We told them that their observation was true, but it was because for the past five to six years, we did not have seminars and this affected the standards of officiation.

“It is only now that the new FAM [Football Association of Malawi] leadership has organised seminars in all the regions and we are thankful for that.”

Kalichero also said they assured Sulom of improvement this season.

“This season, we can assure them that they will see change,” he said.

On the other hand, Sulom president Colonel Gilbert Mittawa confirmed the meeting, but said he would revert with more details. However, he had not done so by press time at 4pm.

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