Around 50 participants came from 11 National Sports Associations, representing volleyball, archery, athletics, boxing, basketball, table tennis, swimming, judo, wrestling, handball and netball.

MOC public relations officer Kythrina Phiri said the aim of the meeting was to address how COVID-19 had affected the sports community.

Ideas on how to keep training amid restrictive measures caused by the virus were also shared.

"The meeting was very resourceful as we had to hear from our athletes' and coaches' point of view on the pandemic," said Phiri. 

"Our technical department will then look into those issues and rectify so as to keep every sport going."

The meeting took place in capital city Lilongwe but Phiri added that other areas of the country could be visited if resources allow.

After the meeting the participants were given one kilogram of rice, sugar and salt, two litres of cooking oil, one hundred grams of soya pieces, hand washing soap and a bucket.

The goods were worth MK700,000 (£760/$950/€835) in total.

Malawi first competed at the Olympics at Munich 1972, before missing the Montreal 1976 Games and the heavily-boycotted Moscow 1980.

They have appeared at every Summer Olympics since but have not won a medal.