Sexual misconduct scandal at FAM has exploded as damning allegations involving Daudi Mtanthiko, an executive committee member and delegation leader.
He is accused of gross sexual misconduct towards female footballers and staff during two recent international trips.
The first scenario came as the Malawi women’s team was in Zambia on a soccer trip in February women report that Mtanthiko found many outlets for making unwanted sexual advances toward members of delegation, including both players and technical staff.
Whether these were the innocent proprieties of team morale or not is still unclear. Such victims also claim he demanded physical benefits purely for his male satisfaction; for instance by asking for hugs and kisses that beyond what the women had intended even in their own minds.
In training camps and away matches as well as other social encounters with him he even asked outright demands women to perform sexual favors for him.T
These shocking claims have been confirmed now by further revelations following the team’s most recent visit, to South Africa, where two female technical staff reported similar abuse.
Harrowing Testimony from a Victim One woman who was on the South African trip has come forward to share her appalling experience with Mtanthiko.
She adds to the story is both shocking and pitiful at the same time.“He first texted me, asking me to come see him as there was money that needed spending.
When I refused, he later came to my door about 7 p.m.，” she said. “He forced himself into my room, closed the door behind him and pushed his pants down. He lay on me.
As for the victim, she replied point blank that in spite of his insistence and physical advances, she had repeatedly declined his approaches.
She went on to say solemnly:”He told me to help him; one explanation was, ‘In the name of all that’s good take pity on me’. He begged me to kiss him and begged me to hug him—both of which I refused.
Then he put me in a hug before leaving.”Because of her courageous evidence, this character has been thrown into sharp relief at FAM as a pattern of coercion and abuse of power comes to light.
Some insiders claim that Mtanthiko was not a one-off instance, but rather an incurable social disease maintained by silence and fear.
During the visit to Zambia it was alleged that similar predatory behaviour was carried out, with multiple female victims telling of Mtanthiko’s troubling conduct.
All of this, added to the South African case, points an accusing finger firmly in the direction of the sexual misconduct at FAM.
Several men from FAM who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the most shocking and disappointing thing was that while often there were rumours but there was no evidence to go on.
A Call from the Public Calling for justice The sexual misconduct at FAM has aroused public indignation throughout Malawi.
Women’s rights organisations as well as sports governing bodies are demanding swift resolution and a transparent inquiry into what happened.
The Malawi Human Rights Commission has expressed readiness to conduct a formal investigation. On social media, people launched into action with many demanding that Mtanthiko be suspended immediately pending the outcome of an investigation. Hashtags like #JusticeForFAMWomen and #StopSexualAbuseInSports are gaining popularity.
This reflects the collective wrath and resolution of Malawians throughout the country.
Meanwhile FAM still withholds No official statement. In response to public pressure, the silence from the football body has supplied only ever-further grounds for speculation and complaint.
Legal experts say that FAM is under both national and international sports regulations to protect athletes from harassment, for this is an obligation of protection for all football bodies.
If working environments don’t comply with human resource department standards, or if one so many women get broken cognitions that another “scandal.”
Stakeholders asked that FAM establish first an independent ethics committee to investigate Mr. Mtanthiko’s actions and secondly provide preventative measures against future cases of ethical misconduct.
FAM’s Mismanagement of the Case Will Have a Wider Impact on Women’s Soccer Women’s World Cup soccer players live in an ecosystem together with their male counterparts set up by the Malawi Football Association chief executive himself.
Now all that formative experience has gone up in flames! The women’s national team –called the “Scorchers” after its red kit –has performed most successfully over last years, with both results and popularity catching fire.
