The Malta Football Association has claimed that children using the Pace Grasso Ground, in Paola, were not in danger because a groundsman convicted of paedophilia had not gone to the ground for months before his employment was terminated in May.
The MFA came under a barrage of criticism after it turned out that it had retained a 79-year-old groundsman who, in January 2006, pleaded guilty to defiling a 13-year-old boy in December 2003 and in previous weeks.
The case was made public by Joe Gerada, CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, who claimed that the MFA had allowed the man to remain potentially in contact with children after his conviction, especially since the ground is used by youths for training and students of Guzè D'Amato secondary school for recreation.
In a statement yesterday, the MFA's communications officer, Alex Vella, said the association had learned, only as recently as May 9, that the groundsman had not gone to open or close the ground "for months" and that the authorities of the school had access to the ground.
"This means that the so-called 'danger' was much ado about nothing since the person concerned has not frequented the ground," Mr Vella said, declaring the case closed as far as the MFA was concerned.
However, a letter sent to Mr Gerada by the MFA on April 6 showed that the groundsman was still responsible for the ground in the period in question.
"The MFA bureau has discussed your letters on April 3. I was asked to inform you that the person in question will be taking care of Pace Grasso Ground until the end of the season," MFA general secretary Joseph Gauci told Mr Gerada.
The case was raised on the January 27 edition of the TV show Xarabank and Mr Gerada phoned MFA president Joe Mifsud with the details of the case the following Monday.
On February 17, Mr Gerada wrote to Dr Mifsud, asking for his feedback on the case.
Dr Mifsud replied in writing on February 24, stating that "after enquiries made with the Guzè D'Amato School, it transpired that no complaints were lodged by the school authorities either with your federation (sic) or with us".
Writing back on March 1, Mr Gerada said he knew that the complaint had not come from the school authorities but by individuals who had approached the foundation personally, adding that their complaint was justified given that the ground was a sports facility used by minors.
"This is a situation that is not acceptable to those like us engaged in the protection of children. In fact, we also contacted the Malta Youth FA who, like us, consider this situation as very serious and warrants immediate action from the side of the MFA.
"Therefore we would be grateful if you would let us know when and how this person will be removed from any official contact with minors on your premises," Mr Gerada told Dr Mifsud.
On March 22, Mr Gerada sent another letter to the MFA president and, copying Children's Commissioner Sonia Camilleri and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina, requested feedback from Dr Mifsud.
"On issues concerning the protection of children, one day delay is a day too long," wrote Mr Gerada.
Upon receiving the MFA's reply that the groundsman would be removed at the end of the season, Mr Gerada warned the MFA that unless the groundsman was removed by April 21, he would bring the case to public attention.
Mr Gerada later said the fact that the MFA had done nothing about the matter was shocking.
The MFA accused Mr Gerada of carrying out a campaign against it, declaring that it was leaving it up to the public to conclude whether, "in a long life, if someone is found guilty only once of corrupting a minor, one should be labelled a paedophile".
Calls for Dr Mifsud's resignation, which has not happened, came from Minister Cristina who said on a radio programme that the MFA should remove Dr Mifsud because of the way he handled the case.