Malawi: sexual assault covered up by the football federation?
Daud Mtanthiko, a member of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), is the subject of an investigation over alleged sexual assault and harassment
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“FAM has taken serious note of the allegations of sexual misconduct involving a member of the Malawi women's national team delegation […] FAM has already opened a formal investigation.”
Dated 15 April, these few lines from the federation's statement announced an official investigation. In reality, the aim was to reassure public and political opinion, which had been particularly outraged to learn through the press of an affair that took place in February and was hushed up by that same federation, which refuses to give, among other things, the name of the person in question.
“He closed the door, took off his trousers and grabbed me”
In February, the Scorchers flew to Zambia for two friendlies. But the trip was marred by a troubling affair involving Daud Mtanthiko, a member of the federation's Executive Committee, and the head of the delegation.
Read also: Sexual abuse: Patrick Assoumou Eyi, alias “Capello”, banned for life by FIFA
She reported the incidents to the coaches (Lovemore Fazili and his assistant, Maggie Chombo), who did nothing. Nor did the federation take any action, much to the dismay of the entire squad.
Faced with this inaction, the victim confided in a Zambian outlet, Bola News, to explain what had happened on the tour:
“At first, he told me I had to see him in his hotel room to collect money to go shopping; he said my friends had already gone out to buy things. He told me he had left the door open. I refused. At around 7 o'clock, I heard a knock at my door. I opened it and it was him. As soon as I opened it, he came in. I tried to block him, but it was impossible.
He closed the door, took off his trousers and grabbed me forcefully – he pushed me onto the bed. He told me we had to sleep together. I refused […] I warned him that I would call for help and he warned me [not to do so].”
A federation president in trouble over his “Transform the Game” slogan
Contacted by Bola News, the federation president, Fleetwood Haiya, said he had not been made aware of the matter. That is a surprising claim, given that the information had been circulating within the federation since the February incident.
Elected in December 2023 after a high-profile election against the totemic Walter Nyamilandu (in post for 19 years!), Haiya had staked his campaign on a new approach and a programme with an evocative title: “Transforme the Game”.
Many media outlets in Malawi point to the huge gulf between that slogan and the reality of this affair, which would have been kept quiet without the investigation published by Bola News. In a country where the Scorchers (the nickname of the women's team) became stars after winning the regional COSAFA title in 2023, the scandal is not going away and the state is following developments very closely.
COSAFA, the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations, has also taken an interest and pressed the federation to open an official investigation. Without that, it is hard to believe FAM would ever have done anything about one of its own members...