Decision not linked to euro adoption - Mifsud

Malta FA president Joe Mifsud yesterday insisted that the decision to raise ticket prices for domestic football matches as from January 1, had nothing to do with the adoption of the euro as the national currency next year.

Last week, the local governing body of football announced a slight increase in ticket pricing, a decision that earned the Malta FA an instant rebuke from the National Euro Changeover Committee (NECC).

On Thursday, the NECC issued a statement warning the MFA over their proposed rise in ticket prices. The NECC stance drew a bold reaction from Dr Mifsud who yesterday accused the monitoring group of an attempt to expose the MFA to public derision (riedu jaghmlu 'show' bina).

"The Executive Committee, which comprises representatives of all clubs, made the decision to increase prices," Dr Mifsud told reporters.

"This decision was duly communicated to the MFA council and no objections were raised.

"Last Friday, I was surprised to learn about the reaction of the NECC. It transpires that the NECC based their conclusions on what they read in the newspapers and decided to issue a press release.

"In my opinion, the NECC didn't act in a proper manner. Only a few days before all this happened, an MFA delegation, led by vice-president Dr Peter Fenech, had discussions with the NECC about the difficulties the conversion of the Maltese lira to the euro next year could create."

"The rise in ticket prices has nothing to do with the introduction of the euro but we had to think in euro terms at this stage," Dr Mifsud added.

"In my opinion, the NECC wanted to expose the MFA to public derision and this is not right."

Dr Mifsud spelt out the reasons behind the decision to increase ticket prices.

"Match ticket prices have been unchanged for the last eight years," he said.

"However, during this period, the MFA had to contend with a four-fold rise in the price of water, from 10 cents per cubic metre to 40 cents, while our water and electricity bills have shot up by 50 to 65 per cent.

"A few years back, the three per cent increase in VAT was also absorbed by the Malta FA.

"We have written to the NECC explaining why we decided to increase ticket prices. We think that the price adjustment is reasonable."

Dr Fenech also joined the MFA president in criticising the NECC's move to circulate a press release so soon following the association's announcement of the new ticket prices.

The Malta FA vice-president said this matter had been debated several months ago but at the time, the association's Executive Committee decided not to increase the match entrance fees.

As from January 1, 2008, fans will have to pay eight euros for a match ticket that currently costs Lm3. The other ticket prices will be amended as follows: Lm2 - 5 euros; Lm1.50 - 4 euros; Lm1 - 2.5 euros.