NEWS | SPORTS 

By Sozo Kaperemera

Newly formed Football Players Association (FPA) has encouraged players to register with the association before the 2018 Super league season kicks off kickoff this month.

In an interview General secretary for the association, Ernest Mangani said the players have until the kickoff of the season to be registered as members as we remain with 3 weeks for the season to begin.

“The PFA is encouraging all teams and their employees (the players) to facilitate the process of submitting the membership forms before the kickoff of the 2018 season,” said Mangani

Mangani further added that the membership fees is at K5, 000 for all players who ply their trade in the super league.

“To enjoy the benefits, the board of the PFA has approved that the membership fees for 2018 season will be at K5, 000 per player per year,” he said.

The PFA will be partly be funded via an agreed share of gate collections from games organized in the country.

Meanwhile, the PFA has compiled 7 benefits which professional football players will enjoy upon their membership.

1. General Insurance cover for injuries

This covers temporally injuries. A player will receive weekly cash benefit for upkeep while they are out of playing due to injury until they recover. A player will be paid a lump sum of money when their injury is permanent.

• Medical cover

This covers medical bills at designated medical facilities when the member is sick.

• Funeral cover

This covers coffin and transport for the member to their burial place in the event of their demise. It also covers the member’s spouse and off springs.

• Gratuity money at the end of their contract

This entitles the member to receive a lumpsum at the expiry of their contract.

• Financial literacy

This benefit provides financial education to members so that they are able to manage their finances better to sustain their lives.

• Professional education

This benefit provides an opportunity for members that have Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) to study different types of courses. This will assist the members that upon their retirement from the pitch, they can  eke a living either via other forms of employment or small scale businesses in line with what they would have studied during their footballing time.

• Collective bargaining agreement

This benefit will entitle members to fair employment conditions as the FPA will facilitate contracts that are fair for both parties between the players, their employers and also the regulator bodies. This will eliminate potential disagreements and misunderstandings between players and their employers or prospective employers in the professional football industry.

This development has come at an ideal time as Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is thriving into turning our league professional and forming an association of this kind is one of the steps in achieving what the country’s football governing body dreams.

The association, which is a brainchild of FAM, is on a mission to improve the welfare of the players in the country so that when they hang up their boots they should not turn into beggars as has been the case with most former super league players.