BOV Division One club San Ġiljan Firetech had two points deducted and fined yesterday besides long-term bans to two of their players and a member of the coaching staff following the mayhem that erupted near the end of last weekend’s match against Neptunes Emirates at the National Pool, Tal-Qroqq.
Tension was added to the match, a Balluta Bay derby, following the two clubs’ squabble over a protest in a junior league fixture late last month which saw San Ġiljan forfeiting the points and their championship chances.
On Saturday, the Saints played their best match of the season but Neptunes left it late to clinch a 16-13 victory, scoring three quick goals to retain a two-point lead over Sliema at the top of the standings.
Police had to intervene and call for back-up as hell broke loose on the pool deck when San Ġiljan players tried to approach the opposite side in an aggressive mood after falling behind by three goals.
San Ġiljan were fined €233 after a filled plastic bottle was thrown in the direction of referee Ivan Sciriha.
They were also made to pay €116 and €233 for rude and vulgar language and deducted two points from their tally following a report by the ASA president. The Saints slipped to fourth place in the standings, on eight points from 13 matches.
The club was also severely reprimanded for their wrongdoings.
San Ġiljan had three players on the suspensions’ list – Dean Camilleri, Ranier Scerri and Karl Galea.
Camilleri was suspended for four matches and fined €200 for ‘crossing over and provocation’ and also for kicking a Neptunes official. Galea was suspended one week and fined €93 for pushing the same official from the opposing team.
Scerri was suspended 30 days and two extra matches for throwing filled plastic bottles and ‘crossing over and provocation’. He was also fined €93.
In its ruling, the ASA also ordered San Ġiljan to remove Camilleri and Scerri from any official capacity representing the club with immediate effect after ‘bringing the game into disrepute and for giving bad example to youth players’.
Moreover, San Ġiljan assistant coach Pierre Borg was handed a two-month ban, suspended for one year, from all ASA activities and coach Marco Risso was also found guilty of breaching the disciplinary code and fined €203.
Neptunes, who play Sliema in a decisive match for the league title on Saturday, had club medic Stefan Camilleri suspended for one game and fined €50 for remaining on the pool deck after being shown the red card. The club was fined €116 for ‘rude and vulgar words’.
On Tuesday, San Ġiljan trio Camilleri, Galea and Scerri were arraigned in court in connection with Saturday’s brawl at the National Pool.
Neptunes player Steve Camilleri was also among those charged by police for different offences.
All four were granted bail against a personal guarantee of €500 each and ordered not to visit the National Pool except for training and team matches.