The Malawi National Council of Sports has directed the dissolved Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) executive committee to hand over documentation and stop using the association’s logos and emblems.

However, the committee, which the Sports Council dissolved four months ago following failure to conclusively finalise amendments to the constitution and hold elections within schedule, yesterday insisted they will not comply with the directive as the council does not have such powers.

The development comes at a time the embattled AAM executive committee has set February 26 as dates for its elective general assembly in Mzuzu despite the council appointing an interim committee led by Justice of Appeal Sylvester Kalembera for the same purpose.

A statement by the council on Tuesday,signed by its spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa, reads in part: “The council officially communicated to the dissolved stand-in committee to hand over all documentations to the caretaker committee so that every communication, whether local or international, should go through it for proper planning and implementation of projects.

Signed the statement: Ntulumbwa

“Up to now, the dissolved committee has not yet done that. The council has taken note of this and will deal with it at an appropriate time.

“It is not in the council’s interest to be seen as being in conflict with individuals, who were part of the dissolved stand-in committee, but the uncooperativeness of some of the people threatens the development and promotion of the sport in the country

 “The council has also noted with concern the use of logos and emblems of the AAM by Mr. [Frank] Chitembeya, who used to be the general secretary of the dissolved committee. We regret this and [we] have written Mr. Chitembeya to cease and desist from this conduct. The sport of athletics is for every Malawian and not just a few individuals.”

Sports Council has since directed the dissolved stand-in executive committee to stop operating as AAM “because they do not have any mandate, whatsoever, to do so”.

The statement also says the interim committee is finalising its task and will soon call for an elective general assembly of the AAM.

But Chitembeya yesterday said the council does not have any powers to force the committee to surrender the association’s documents or stop using the logos.

“They [council] will not stop us. We will not hand over the documentation and we will keep on using the AAM logos and emblems until we conduct our elections on February 26,” he said.

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