Valhmor Camilleri
Vittoriosa Stars demoted as MFA board finally reaches verdict
What many had feared would happen for several weeks now, came about yesterday when the BOV Premier League was thrown into disarray after Vittoriosa Stars were demoted to Division One following a decision by the Malta FA board to investigate corrupt practices last Friday.
The 2009/10 championship only started last week when the first round of matches was played involving all ten teams, including newcomers Vittoriosa. They were beaten 3-0 by Sliema Wanderers on Saturday.
Vittoriosa were embroiled in a match-fixing case which goes back to December 2008 when two St George's players admitted in court to having accepted bribes before a Division One match against Cottonera rivals Vittoriosa.
Andrea Gatt and Lawrence Mizzi were given suspended jail terms and fined €500 each after pleading guilty to charges of having accepted a bribe. Vittoriosa Stars FC vice president Manwel Ancilleri was among those charged but he denied his part in the case and is currently facing criminal proceedings in court.
After weeks of investigations, the MFA board in June deemed that there was enough evidence for Vittoriosa to face charges of breaching the association's statute, precisely rules 113, 114 and 115 which deal mainly with bribery in football activities.
Sources close to The Times yesterday said that the MFA board to investigate corrupt practices met again on Friday and finally reached a verdict on the Vittoriosa case.
Contacted yesterday, Vittoriosa Stars FC president Erskin Vella refused to confirm whether his club had been informed of the MFA board's decision.
"At this stage I prefer not to comment on this issue," he said.
"I won't confirm neither deny the news that we had received correspondence from the MFA. We are arranging meetings to see what is going on."
Vittoriosa will be meeting the media this morning in a conference call at Couvre Porte.
According to the notice received by The Times yesterday afternoon, the latest developments on the match-fixing case will be revealed to the press.
Last week, Vittoriosa paraded their new players, 14 in all, ahead of the new season.
When replying to a journalist's question whether the bribery attempt case was in some way disrupting their pre-season preparations, club secretary Gerald Ellul said they had worked relentlessly in summer to strengthen the squad and wanted to clear the club's name.
"Nothing has been proved against us so far," he told reporters.
"We want to clear Vittoriosa Stars from any wrongdoing."
At present, the same MFA board is also dealing with a similar bribery-attempt case involving another Premier League club Marsaxlokk who were beaten by champions Hibernians 3-1 on Sunday.
Marsaxlokk could also face similar heavy sanctions by the MFA board whose members are expected to meet again on this particular case on September 2.
Meanwhile, the MFA executive committee assembled yesterday evening but the Vittoriosa case was not on the agenda handed out to officials earlier this month.
However, the matter was surely discussed in length as before yesterday the association had refrained from giving information on the issue and, more importantly, what measures would be taken if there was a team losing its status in the Premier League.
In late July's annual general meeting, MFA president Joe Mifsud hit back at claims that the association was dragging its feet at match-fixing cases.
Some delegates lamented the investigations were taking too long but Dr Mifsud replied there were rules to follow and the procedure had to take its course.
"There are very few here who are familiar with the legal complexities of such procedures... I strongly believe that we must follow the principles of natural justice," he was quoted as saying.
Msida SJ, who finished ninth in the final Premier League standings last season and were relegated along with bottom-placed Ħamrun Spartans, had sounded their concerns for almost the entire summer, urging the MFA to speed up the process of the two match-fixing cases which could drag into further weeks of deliberations if appeals are handed in to contest the board's verdicts.
Msida contended that it was unfair on those clubs concerned to be asked to play in a higher division in such a short notice if some other club from the Premier League was to lose its place as a consequence of the investigation and possible measures taken.
Last season, Vittoriosa were promoted along with Dingli Swallows. Pietà Hotspurs finished third in the final standings ahead of St George's and St Patrick.
The second round of matches from the Premier League will be played next weekend with Vittoriosa scheduled to play Hibernians on Saturday.
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Max Farrugia
Aug 26th 2009, 09:27
Nisperaw li ma inkunx f'sahhitna maz-zghir u dajfa ma minnu huwa b'sahtu. Jekk jigri hekk il-football Malti ikompli jaqla daqqa mortali. L-isponsors ghandhom jiehdu nota ta dak li qed jigri ukoll halli ma jitilfux klijenti. Jekk l-affarijiet ma issiru sewwa ghanda ssir pressjoni fuq l-isponsors mis-supporters sabiex ma ikomplux jghinu lil minn ma jimxix b'gustizzja.
M.Farrugia
Chris Grillo
Aug 26th 2009, 07:31
Li thalli team imdendel bix-xabla fuq rasu ma hija haga facli xejn ghal min hu nvolut. Hawnhekk jekk niftakar sew, il-partita regghet intlabet bhala penitenza...u ohrog il-ghageb regghu rebhu l-Birgu! Ilni 33 sena nistenna li nitilghu Premier.
Minhabba li beda l-kampjonat kont nara iktar gustizzja li jibdew b -9 punti.
Kampjonat fazull issa, b'9 skwadri...
L-MFA missa ila li hadita d-decizjoni...issa Marsaxlokk suppost imisshom l-istess trattament...nimmagina ghal nofs il-kampjonat
U halluna!!!!
Forza STARS!!!! Kuragg
Rodnick Abdilla
Aug 26th 2009, 00:01
Qormi kinu waqaw 3rd kaz ezatt bhall dan. il birgu specjali ? inhoss li geww trattati hafna ahjar milli haqhom
c. saliba
Aug 25th 2009, 19:03
Naqbel hafna ma daniel diacono li l-board missu waqqa lil Birgu second u mhux first ghax meta sehh il-kaz kienu first. U haga ohra hi t-tul tal-kaz. Ara l-board immurx jiehu f'idejh il-kaz tal-calciopoli?? kemm kien iddum?? X"faqar ta pajjiz ninsabu fih, kollox bil-lajma. Il-kaz ta M'xlokk meta se jinqata??? F"nofs l-istagun???
Alan Aquilina
Aug 25th 2009, 16:12
La l-fatt gara meta l-Birgu kienu fil-1st, nahseb li ghandhom jaqghu 2nd u mhux jergghu jaqghu 1st. Apparti li la issa huma armati ghall-premier probabbli se jigru bih il-kampjonat tal-1st. Issa x'se jigri la jispicca l-leagu dis-sena. Jaqa wiehed jew jitilghu tlieta?
daniel diacono
Aug 25th 2009, 15:37
il-birgu jirringrazjaw l-alla ax li kieku dal kaz inalaq qabel beda il league, kieku sippost waqqawom second ... bla sens l-mfa
min 1st titla premier u jergaw jitfawk 1st ... la l-kaz sehh meta kienu fil 1st allurra hi logika li dawn jitwaqqaw 2nd !!! mhux baqaw fej kienu !!!
amifsud
Aug 25th 2009, 14:52
Why doesn't the MFA explain exactly how their disciplinary proceedings work? The match in question was re-played soon after the original match. This means that the MFA already acknowledged that something irregular had occurred and decided to punish Vittoriosa by replaying the match. 2 players had admitted to the bribes but surely the MFA had to do some sort of investigation before coming to the replay decision. So how come they now have meted out a second punishment., many months later.
Joe Mifsud must must surely understand how local football fans cannot see the logic of this case being decided after Vittoriosa have already played a match. And, knowing this verdict, are Marsaxlokk going to attempt to change their defence. If they don't receive a similar punishment it will seem that the case was prejudiced by the Vittoriosa ruling. If, on the other hand they are relegated it will be harsher than Vittoriosa's fate, as Vittoriosa were in Division One at the time and should therefore be relegated to Division 2. One lesson from all of this is that the MFA should have a time frame for the resolving of future cases , within the timing of the seasons.
alfred zammit
Aug 25th 2009, 13:22
What if the case was decided when it should have ,ie last year?What would have been the punishment?Because the board delayed Vittoriosa gained!!!!
Martin Nielsen
Aug 25th 2009, 12:34
Great work MFA! *LOL*
And in four to six months time Marsaxlokk will kick off their campaign in the MFA Division 1. It sure is going to be an interesting season. :-)
Seriously, the lack of competence demonstrated should result in the MFA's relegation! So many have been hurt by this organization's complete lack of desire to follow up on its own (empty) words about fighting corruption.
alfred zammit
Aug 25th 2009, 12:25
vittoriosastars were found guilty of committing bribery in the first division.demoting them to first division is as if no punishment has been netted out.On the contrary the first division clubs will now have to face a team equiped for the Premier division,have to play more games and their chances of reaching their respective targets restricted.If at least Vittoriosa were given at least a penalty of 15 points then things would be fairer on Div 1 teams.Vittoriosa did not receive a punishment at all[only if really guilty].
ryan azzopardi
Aug 25th 2009, 10:24
tilab premier league b 9 timijiet flok b 10 meta huwa car kristall li post vittoriosa andu jigi mimli min pieta jew imsida... biex inkunu car post vittoriosa min pieta u post marsaxlokk (li f dan l istadju bilfors iridu jaqaw) min imsida!! Sur joe jekk tibza tiehu r riedni f idejk m andekx x tambih l ghola siggu.... warrab!