Labour MP ends his football suspension

Former Labour deputy speaker Carmelo Abela has regained the right to access the VIP and restricted areas at any football stadium after having been suspended for two months for approaching a referee during a match.

The soft-spoken Mr Abela, secretary of Żejtun Corinthians FC, had approached the referee as he was entering the dressing room at half time and repeatedly asked him to justify the sending off of one of Żejtun’s players.

The referee reported the matter at the end of the match and disciplinary action was taken.

The incident bears similarities to an incident involving Nationalist Whip David Agius, who earned a temporary suspension from any Malta Basketball Association activities two weeks ago for making “abusive or offensive” remarks to referees during a match in April. He was repeatedly heard telling the referees in Maltese, “If you’re not capable (of refereeing), don’t come here,” while they were making their way to the dressing room.

The Malta Football Association Control and Disciplinary Board had accused Mr Abela of “aggressively approaching the referee in the tunnel and contesting one of his decisions”.

He was later found guilty of “being in a place where he shouldn’t have been” and of “passing certain comments”. The suspension was handed down on March 1 and lifted on April 30.

But Mr Abela yesterday strongly refuted any comparisons with Mr Agius’ case. He said what he had done did not take place in front of spectators or in public, and he had not offended anyone.

All he had done was ask the referee to explain a decision. He had not been aggressive and did not use vulgar language. In fact, the two-month suspension was the minimum punishment, which he did not appeal, Mr Abela said.

The incident took place during half-time of the match between Żebbuġ FC and Żejtun Corinthians on January 9, which Mr Abela’s team ended up winning 3-0.

Just 29 minutes into the match, Żejtun Corinthians’ Albanian striker Oldi Majtara, who was playing his first game with his new team, was sent off for retaliation.

Mr Abela said that, during half-time, while in the tunnel, he twice asked the referee for an explanation of the red card. The referee ignored him and proceeded to the dressing room.

Following the match, he apologised to the referee for speaking to him, but was told the incident would have to be included in his report.

Asked whether he believed MPs should lead by example, Mr Abela said he did, adding: “There is nothing wrong with being passionate about a sport, but this has to happen within limits. In my case, all I did was ask the referee for an explanation, as any supporter would have.”