Gharb football player 'taken away' because of expired visa

Carima Achokwu

Feb 9th 2009, 16:35

I wonder from where some opinions come from and mostly when most of the people don't know the story. Well let me illuminate some of the commentors.
First of all once a foreigner signs with a club in Malta his passport is taken so the CLUB takes care of his papers.
Secondly: since the player is playing for a particular club he wouldn't be worrying about his work permit since he is promised that his papers are being taken care of by the CLUB since he is working for them.
This means that when a guy like the one mentioned above is deported, it wouldn't be his fault cause he was just a toy being handled by the club. I think it is about time that legal steps are taken against these clubs so no person becomes a victim of their actions. How come MFA doesn't do anything? How come years pass and the clubs are still doing this? The only injustice here was the carelessness of this club towards the player.
To the one saying marrying “ local beauty”, sorry but everyone decides who to wed & who to be with. They don't force any woman.

sgrima

Feb 8th 2009, 10:13

this person was working and therefore there should have been no reason for his visa not to be renewed. i wonder whether someone wanted a convenient way to be rid of him!!

Ivan Attard

Feb 6th 2009, 23:33

This was just a show of force. When will the thousands of illegals be deported?

Carmel Saliba

Feb 6th 2009, 23:15

It was reported that 'the police storming into the dressing rooms at half time and taking away Nigerian player Dominic Matthias, whose visa had expired'.

Nigerian people to stay in Malta without a visa is an offense to the Maltese law and even a foreign player outside the EU to play, as his occupation, in Malta needs a working permit. Therefore such players to play football in Malta and Gozo without this needed working permit is also an offense to the Maltese law.

Why Gharb Rangers FC only? Why the police took action during the half time? Why the action was not taken before especially when they were aware that his visa was expired?

Kenneth Galea

Feb 6th 2009, 17:48

Visa expired means immediate deportation NOW! Let's remember that Nigeria has a democratic functioning government. Normally expired visas are punished by deportations and I hope that Malta follows suit.

lgalea

Feb 6th 2009, 17:39

Good job. When will he be deported?

John Borg

Feb 6th 2009, 17:23

Denis Catania

Feb 6th 2009, 16:29

I'm sorry to the great people of Floriana for spelling the name of your great city, with a lower case F. No direspect intended.

Denis Catania

Feb 6th 2009, 16:26

@Mary Pace you are right!!! A 100%

@John Borg: This has nothing to do about football and about expired visa!!!

@Mark Said: I doubt Manchester United would allow a players visa to expire. But if they do. He will deserve the same treatment.

@James Micallef: Thank You.

My son born to a Maltese born father and still holds a Maltese passport. When my son was in Malta for 2 years. My 70 year old father took him to floriana to renew his visa every three months. After the third or fouth time a police officer asked my father/mother after seeing there on numerous occasions, is his father or mother Maltese. They showed proof and gave him an open visa at a later date.

John Borg

Feb 6th 2009, 15:50

@Mary Pace: don't comment on something you know nothing about! Football Clubs' administrators have a legal and moral obligation to apply for work permit, visa extension (hence my accent on "extension" as the player did have a valid visa upon signing for his former club) for all of their employees, as do employers of all other sectors. Not doing so is illegal and a serious breach of this persons human rights. To actually report this player after having failed to carry out one's legal and moral obligations makes this act criminal and highly discriminatory. A serious inquiry into this story should be carried out.

James Micallef

Feb 6th 2009, 15:16

Mark Said - Actually it could have happened to Recoba of Inter, Cafu (then at Roma), and about two dozen other South American players at Italian and Spanish teams who were caught with false EU passports around 10 years ago. Ultimately no-one was detained so dramatically during a game, but players were prosecuted and condemned, eg Recoba and Inter's technical director Marco Branca were both given a suspended jail sentence and 5-figure fines.

While the players and clubs were not above the Italian civil law, they were way above the Italian FA's sporting rules. In fact the clubs involved (more than half of Serie A teams) banded together to retroactively change the rules, and in the end none of them were docked points as they should have been

mary Pace

Feb 6th 2009, 14:03

nobody is above the LAW!!! if his visa expire,what do you expect!!!

Mark Said

Feb 6th 2009, 13:13

Imagine such a thing happening to Cristian Ronaldo for Manchester United or Kaka' for Milan!