Malta FA president makes good-behaviour appeal

Joe Mifsud, the Malta FA president, yesterday appealed to local football fans to behave well during the Euro 2008 Group C qualifier against Turkey (7.30 p.m.).

Creditable performances by our national team in the last two home qualifiers and the prospect of locking horns with the Turks on the day Malta commemorates victory in the 1565 Great Siege, have served to raise the level of expectation among local fans ahead of Saturday's game.

"This match has prompted huge interest among Maltese football fans," Dr Mifsud said.

"The sale of tickets is going well. It's a good thing that our supporters are looking forward to this match with enthusiasm but I appeal to the fans to behave well during the game and show our opponents respect.

"That we are playing Turkey at home on September 8 is a pure co-incidence.

"Football is not a battle. Around 500 Turkish fans are expected to travel to Malta for the match but we're also expecting many Turks living here to be present come Saturday."

Dr Mifsud went on to reveal that the Malta FA was fined around Lm5,000 by UEFA after fans let off two petards prior to the EURO 2008 qualifier vs Greece (0-1) in March.

The MFA president conveyed his gratitude to TeamSport for their unwavering backing of the national team.

During yesterday's news conference, TeamSport representatives Jonathan Darmanin and Damian Attard spoke about the new diadora kits for the Maltese national teams.

"For the first time since the start of our professional relationship with the Malta FA, Italian sportswear brand diadora have produced apparel exclusively for our national selections," Darmanin said as a host of national team players, led by captain Gilbert Agius, exhibited the new range of playing outfits and training kits.

The Maltese cross, widely considered as our national symbol, is emblazoned on the front of the new shirts which will be worn for the first time during Saturday's match against Turkey.

TeamSport have also sponsored the creation of a giant Malta shirt which will be unfurled by local fans before home international matches, starting with Saturday's qualifier against the Turks.

Meanwhile, the MFA president yesterday announced that the association's executive committee has agreed to endorse the efforts of a FIFA-backed company whose task is to monitor betting patterns for matches from the qualifying round of the 2010 World Cup.

Dr Mifsud also touched on the issue of doping, saying that the Malta FA is doing its bid to fight this malady by carrying out regular drug tests throughout the season.

The MFA chief thanked DHL for assisting the association in the transportation of dope-tests' samples to a FIFA-accredited laboratory overseas.

A new two-year co-operation agreement between the Malta FA and DHL was signed yesterday.