SULOM Investigates Irregular Abandonment of Wanderers-Ekhaya Match

The Super League of Malawi (SULOM) has opened an investigation into the abandonment of Wednesday’s TNM Super League match between Mighty Wanderers and Ekhaya, after discovering that proper procedures were not followed.

The match at Kamuzu Stadium was halted in the 52nd minute due to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Despite the weather clearing up, play never resumed.

MORE NEWS FROM WAMPIRA

Thirty minutes after the stoppage, players emerged from the dressing rooms fully dressed in their street clothes and departed the venue—with the Nomads players leaving first, followed by the visitors—leaving fans and officials frustrated.

Wa Mpira spoke to general coordinator Gerald Chaponda to understand why the match was halted and how the decision was made.

“I don’t even know what to report because the decision was made in the dressing room and the final whistle was not even blown,” Chaponda said.

After the rain subsided, a reserve official came onto the pitch with the match ball and rolled it across one section of the turf, apparently to test drainage. When the ball failed to move, it was declared that the pitch was unplayable.

In a statement issued Thursday, SULOM General Secretary Williams Banda indicated that proper protocol was not followed, prompting the investigation.

“The teams are supposed to wait for 40 minutes, and if the situation continues, the match officials must consult the Super League of Malawi before any decision is made. However, this procedure was not followed in this game, and we have opened an investigation to identify who made that decision and establish other relevant facts,” Banda said.

He warned teams and officials to consult the association before making decisions when similar situations arise in future league matches.

Waterlogged pitches due to rainfall are not uncommon in Malawian football. In 2021, a Silver Strikers-FCB Nyasa Big Bullets match continued despite conditions at Silver Stadium. In 2024, a Civil Service United-FCB Nyasa Big Bullets match at Civil Stadium required workers to push water off the pitch using scrapers. A Blantyre Derby at Kamuzu Stadium also experienced similar challenges.

The decision on whether the Mighty Wanderers-Ekhaya match will be replayed awaits the conclusion of SULOM’s investigation, as the association’s statement did not address the status of the fixture.