MFA board begins to hear evidence in Marsaxlokk bribery case
The Malta FA Board to Investigate Corrupt Practices yesterday began to look into the match-fixing case involving Premier League club Marsaxlokk.
Last month, Marsaxlokk, along with newly-promoted Premier League club Vittoriosa Stars, were charged by the Malta FA with breaching the statute rules no.113, 114 and 115 which deal mainly with bribery in football activities.
The MFA had launched an inquiry after Marsaxlokk's assistant coach Peter Hartshorne and midfielder Claude Mattocks were handed suspended jail terms and fined €500 each. The two had pleaded guilty to offering a bribe to former Msida St Joseph goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri.
Several witnesses were summ-oned to testify during yesterday's sitting which lasted several hours before the case was adjourned for tomorrow week. The first hearing was due to have taken place on July 7 but was postponed over a procedural matter.
The first hearing into the Vittoriosa case is also scheduled for tomorrow week. Vittoriosa have also been slapped with a bribery charge after two St George's players, Andrea Gatt and Lawrence Mizzi, admitted in court last December that they accepted money to throw away the Division one match against their neighbouring rivals.
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Louis Azzopardi
Jul 22nd 2009, 17:21
Amid all the good things that have been done in Maltese football, the bold statements made by the MFA President about corruption and the postponements of the Board's decisions from day to day, I consider this latest postponement a farcial act in our game. Considering, from what we read, that admittances of corruption has been made, I just can't understand why the decisions about the two games involved are going to be taken up to the wire. It is very unfair, especially to the clubs involved and the teams that are to be hit by the final decision, to be kept in the dark up almost to the start of their new season committments. I just hope that this delay is not because there is something behind it that we don't know, but on the contrary, I hope it will be a clean and honest decision.
R.Caruana
Jul 22nd 2009, 13:35
Dear Mr Mifsud,
This is taking too long from your side and effecting the clubs concerned. Will you give them an extension now on the transfer season so that they can get some fresh blood in their team? And what about the other teams that may be involved?
jason gauci
Jul 22nd 2009, 10:56
more excuses again !!!......
Clinton Farrugia
Jul 22nd 2009, 10:45
How's that for a CLEAN football?!