KEY POINTS:
The Malawi netball team have laughed off suggestions they are too hard-up to afford drink bottles, sports bags and after-match food for their players.
The entire African side, management and the Malawi Minister of Sport enjoyed a dinner of burgers, fries, salads, soft drinks and desserts at Wendy's hamburger restaurant in Te Atatu yesterday after their 81-37 loss to England at Trusts Stadium.
Fay Stretch, who is the marketing manager of Wendy's Te Atatu, made the gesture after hearing the team's management could not buy the bare necessities for the players, including separate drink bottles, sports bags and food for after the match.
"I heard that they didn't have anything; they've got absolutely nothing," said Ms Stretch.
"I was just worried they weren't getting anything to eat."
The team's bus driver, Anton Swart, told the Herald management had told him they were finding it difficult to cope financially.
"It's about giving them a break. I've heard their stories and they're struggling with funds and in terms of sponsorship," said Mr Swart. "Basically, what you see them turn up at the courts with is everything they'vegot."
The Johannesburg native, who has lived in Auckland for eight years, said he and other bus drivers were helping out other financially troubled netball teams by doing laundry runs and buying food.
But the Malawi team's assistant manager, Lekeni Kafwafwa, said the rumours of the Government-funded side being short of money "simply are not true". She said the side received daily allowances and funding from private companies, although she would not say how much.
"Everyone thinks just because we are African that we are poor, but this is certainly not the case."
Ms Kafwafwa, a newsreader and sports producer for Malawi Television, said the team were focusing on a fifth placing at the world champs and had not had time to fully enjoy the sights of Auckland.
"I think a few of the players want to go shopping - their focus from day one here has been netball so they haven't been able to get out, butit would be good for them toloosen up a bit at the end of it."
Ms Kafwafwa said their performances at the championships were big news in their country and netball was making its mark against soccer, Malawi's most popular sport.
The tiny African nation, which has a population of about 13 million, is poverty-stricken, and life expectancy for females is only 40 years.
The team missed the last world championships in Jamaica because of a lack of funding.
For these championships, the team received specially made uniforms for the first time.
