Qormi FC face demotion and hefty fine
Club file notice of appeal
Qormi FC face the prospect of playing Division Three football next season after the Malta FA Board to Investigate Corrupt Practices in Football ordered that they be demoted to the lowest league.
Well-placed sources told The Times that the heavy sanction was meted out by the Board at the conclusion of its inquest into a case of attempted bribery involving two former Qormi FC officials.
The Board also ruled that Qormi, who have already declared their intention to appeal against the Board's ruling, be fined Lm1,500 and that the two officials convicted of the crime be banned for life.
If Qormi's appeal is rejected by the Malta FA council, the club, currently pushing for promotion to Division One, would start next season in Division Three. The Board decided against relegating Qormi straightaway not to disrupt the Division Two league.
Qormi's appeal is likely to be heard at the next council meeting, due to be held a week from today, at the Centenary Hall.
The case, dating back to last October, had been brought to the association's attention by Qormi rivals Zebbug Rangers.
The allegations were also investigated by the police and led to Carmel Falzon and Joseph Spiteri being handed a one-year jail term suspended for four years after they pleaded guilty to offering a bribe to an unnamed Zebbug Rangers player.
At a Malta FA council meeting on October 24, association president Joe Mifsud had said that the case had been referred to the Board to Investigate Corrupt Practices in Football.
A copy of the magistrates' court sentence had also been passed on to the Board to continue with its investigation.
During that meeting, Dr Mifsud had also warned that the Board had the power to issue further charges if it deemed fit to do so.