The Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) has announced that it has remitted game bonuses due to the Malawi National Netball team, the Queens.

The development comes amid outcry by the Queens players who complained the delay by the authorities to give them game bonuses for participating in the African Pent Series and the African Netball Championship in Namibia in November 2021, where they finished second and third respectively.

According to MNCS, the delay in releasing the game bonuses, which also forced players to boycott camp earlier this week, was due to failure by the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) to submit report indicating how the funds were used during the two tournaments.

Reads part of the statement: “In the instant case, there was a substantial delay in the submission of these reports, by NAM, and even at this point there are areas that need clarification.”

The statement further said apart from the issues around the report, the Council is also in discussion with NAM regarding unbudgeted for, unapproved and unsanctioned expenses incurred by NAM related to camps for the Queens.

However, MNCS said: “Considering the welfare of the players, council has resolved to pay the players’ bonuses notwithstanding that NAM is yet to provide responses to issues that Council raised relating to its submitted reports.”

The Council further pointed out that it is unfair to punish the players for failures within the administrative echelons.

“MNCS would however like to emphasize that its decision should not be in any way be construed as a tacit condonation of failure by any affiliate to submit requisite reports,” said the statement.