The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has refuted media reports that the Association is being extravagant by spending a lot of money on national team coach, Mario Marinica’s accommodation at Amaryllis Hotel.

Recently, the media reported that FAM has spent over MK17 million for the coach to stay at the hotel, the figure which the association has described as “an exaggeration which has portrayed FAM as being extravagant and wasteful”.

FAM through a press statement said as the association was in the process of identifying the house for Marinica, Amaryllis hotel offered special ‘long-stay-package’ which effectively addressed the accommodation needs and was also found to be cost effective for FAM.

Reads part of statement: “The truth of the matter is that since his arrival in the country in November 2021, Mr. Marinica has been staying at Hotel Amaryllis. Initially this was supposed to be a temporally arrangement for a month as he was finalising his employment and work permit documentation. Marinica had to accompany the Flames to Saudi Arabia for Pre- AFCON camping in December and Cameroun for the AFCON in January.

“Amaryllis offered FAM a special rate of K900, 000.00 per month including all services apart from meals (lunch and dinner). The public may wish to appreciate that the rentals for fully furnished houses being offered were in the ranges of K900, 000 – K1.2 million per month.”

The statement further said apart from the monthly rentals, FAM was also expected to spend security services costing between K600,000 to K1million, DSTV services (MK90,000.00), internet wifi (MK60,000.00), generator and fuel (MK100,000), utilities and domestic workers (K300,000.00).

According to the association, this would cost not less than MK2.4 million per month.

FAM has therefore assured all stakeholders and the public that the association shall continue to exercise care, due diligence, and prudence in management of its resources at all times.