Hibs duo Muscat, Lima hit with misconduct charge

The Malta FA have charged Hibs duo Mario Muscat and Jackson Lima with misconduct in relation to incidents during and after their team’s league defeat to Birkirkara last month.

Muscat, the Hibs goalkeeper and captain, is facing disciplinary action over disparaging remarks he allegedly made towards Valletta FC vice-president Paul Spiteri. The alleged incident took place in the dressing room area of the National Stadium soon after Hibs’ 1-0 loss to Birkirkara.

Spiteri, who is also a member of the MFA Executive Committee, filed a report with the association and the Exco deemed that Muscat had a case to answer.

Jackson Lima has found himself in hot water after being captured on camera making an obscene gesture during Hibs’ game against Birkirkara.

The Brazilian’s gesture was allegedly directed at one of the assistant referees but, according to Jesmond Abela, the council member of the Hibs, Lima denies this claim.

Malta FA president Norman Darmanin Demajo pointed out that Lima’s misdemeanour was not mentioned in the post-match reports of the referee and the match inspector but the association was duty-bound to take action on the basis of video evidence.

Abela took issue with the MFA’s decision to charge Lima, branding the system unfair.

“The television has shown our player and he is now facing disciplinary action but next week, it could be that the camera misses an offence by another player,” Abela said.

“We are now at the mercy of television stations.

“Our player is facing a two-match ban and that would be an injustice against our club.”

Bjorn Vassallo, the Malta FA CEO, explained that, every week, the association collects DVDs of all the BOV Premier League matches played in the preceding days for the scope of analysis from a refereeing point of view.

Vassallo said the MFA have no designated person to rule on video-evidence cases but under the current practice, the person reviewing the DVDs refers any incidents unseen by the match officials to the association’s top officials.

This season, Floriana goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo and Sliema Wanderers winger Danail Mitev received bans for infringements that escaped the attention of the match officials but were caught on camera.

The charges against Muscat and Lima will be heard by the MFA Disciplinary Commissioner today.

During yesterday’s MFA council meeting, it was also announced that no irregularities have been found with regards to payments Floriana made to former goalkeeper Matthew Towns who had amateur status.

The transfer prohibition on Marsaxlokk has been lifted after the club settled their financial dues with several current and former players.