Controversial ref for abandoned Wanderers/Silver Airtel Top 8 match suspended for four months

* For allowing play to continue after blowing whistle to stop play

* For continuing play without proper restart

* Allowing a goal from a dead ball and giving advantage after blowing the whistle

Maravi Express

Referee Gift Nkhakananga, who spoiled the 2023 Airtel Top 8 match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers that led to violence at which was abandoned at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on September 23, has been suspended for four months.

Nkhakananga courted controversy in the dying minutes of the match when he blew the whistle for an infringement but ruled as an advantage when Silver Strikers ignored his decision and went on to score — thereby awarding the goal.

Thus Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Referees Committee has suspended him for failure to control the match by allowing play to continue after blowing whistle to stop play; continuing play without proper restart; allowing a goal from a dead ball and giving advantage after blowing the whistle.

It seems referee Godfrey Nkhakananga has an axe to grind with Mighty Wanderers as he posted in 2013 a insulting statement on Facebook after the Nomads were beaten by Red Lions.

The Referees Committee met on Wednesday, September 27 to deliberate on refereeing matters in elite football matches where it reviewed relevant match footage, match officials reports and made the several determinations.

Referee Deus Nyirongo was suspended for three months for failure to control the game as per the requirements of the Laws of the game in a Super League match between Karonga United and Chitipa United played on April 22nd.

Also suspended is referee assessor, Zuza Nyondo for four months for poor report writing as he failed to assess and submit a true performance of the referee in the same match between Karonga United and Chitipa United.

Peter Jossam was suspended for three months for failure to control the game and apply laws of the game correctly in a Super League match  between Silver Strikers and Blue Eagles on August 6th while Dave Chombo earned six months for poor knowledge and application of the Laws of the game and failure to cooperate with match organisers when summoned to a hearing as a witness in a Super League match between Silver Strikers and Chitipa United played on August 1.

Meanwhile, FAM’s competitions committee also reviewed relevant match footage, reports from match officials and two protest letters from Mighty Wanderers over the abandoned game and made a determination that the match has been awarded to Silver Strikers at 2-0 despite that it got abandoned at 2-1.

This is after finding Mighty Wanderers was found guilty of causing the abandonment following their players’ refusal to continue with play in protest of the referee’s decision contrary to article 10.3 of the 2023 Airtel Top 8 Rules and Regulations.

The Nomads have been imposed with a financial sanction of K500,000 for being found guilty of failure take the necessary precautions to prevent their supporters from displaying unsporting behaviours by throwing objects into the field of play and damaging stadium seats.

The Committee has also ordered Wanderers to pay for the costs associated with the repair and restoration of all damaged facilities at Bingu National Stadium which stands at K22,083,400 as per the preliminary assessment by Bingu Stadium authorities.

Wanderers were also fined K2 million for being found guilty of bringing the game of football, FAM, and the name of the sponsor into disrepute.

The protest letter from Wanderers was found inadmissible because according to Article 13.5 of the Airtel Top 8 Rules and Regulations, “the decision taken by the match referee during any match relating to interpretation of the Laws of the Game is not subject to protest”.