Updated: Midfielder Kevin Sammut gets 10-year suspension
Midfielder Kevin Sammut known as il-Viper has been given a 10-year suspension by UEFA after he was found guilty of match fixing in the Euro 2008 qualifier between Norway and Malta.
UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary body reached its decision this evening after hearing Mr Sammut and defenders Stephen Wellman and Kenneth Scicluna, who had also been charged but were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
UEFA said it banned Mr Sammut from any football related activity for 10-years and would be requesting FIFA to extend the ban, to give it a worldwide effect.
The case came to light in May last year after Croatian fraudster Marijo Cvrtak, an ally of Ante Sapina who headed a notorious betting syndicate, testified during his trial in Bochum that he had met with at least three Malta players at an Oslo hotel to rig the Norway-Malta game. He was also heard by the UEFA body today.
In the game, Norway had scored three goals in the last 18 minutes for a 4-0 victory.
While Mr Wellman and Mr Scicluna had played the full 90 minutes, Mr Sammut had been substituted at half time.
The MFA had launched its own independent probe, which it concluded in March. It then passed the findings to UEFA, which had requested to take over the case since the match in question fell under its jurisdiction.
Investigations conducted by two UEFA disciplinary inspectors when they visited Malta in April found more compelling evidence.
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kevin gatt
Aug 21st 2012, 12:35
gesu kin akkuzat u salbuh bla htija .. Kevin Sammut gi akkuzat bla xida !!!
Victor Buhagiar
Aug 18th 2012, 17:51
Something is fishy here, there are indications that not only the players are corrupt in football and this includes UEFA!!!!!...............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Fenech
Aug 19th 2012, 14:14
You forgot FIFA !
Catherine Sultana
Aug 18th 2012, 16:50
Whilst I am in no way condoning corruption of any kind, I would like to know how it is that this man on his own threw the match when he wasn't even on the pitch at the time of the majority of the goals being scored. O.K so he orchestrated the match fixing, but how can all others be not found guilty and one man who wasn't even able to do the deed himself was? As for the comment from the person claiming to be his friend.. some friend you were!!friendship means more than a football game
Edward Farrugia
Aug 18th 2012, 13:51
Minn dan kollu jien nikonkludi li il-football malti ma hux ta' livell baxx kief nahsbuh meta insoffru telfiet kbar ta' goals. Huwa carr li lis-stampa ma hiex kerra daqs kemm inpinguha. lI irrid nghid hi li kieku m kienx hemm dn il-hmieg kollu fil-football malti kieku wiehed jista jghid li Malta b'dawn il-ftit players (li kieku xi whud bhall Kevin Sammut ma kienx korrot) Malta kienet tkum f'possizzonit li tikompetti hafna ahjar. Din ma hiex konsulazzjoni ghaliha imma tmur biex turi li dawn il-qatta hmieg ta' players bhal da Kevin taghmel l-att taghhom ikkta filjakk. Mhux hekk.
Joe Fenech
Aug 18th 2012, 17:11
Maltese people are corrupt and are not serious. Mediocrity is the result of this. It is the same in all the sectors.
Michael Bugeja
Aug 18th 2012, 12:51
Immiskom tisthu, kull min kien imcappas,jiena ghaliha, la hemm l-unur ta Malta fin- nofs ,imisshom wehlu ban ghal ghomorhom,dejjem wara li jkun hemm il-provi bizzejjed li ghamlu dan l-att tassew.
George Tonna
Aug 18th 2012, 12:34
Kevin Sammut must have been the fixer of the match. Playing or not is not an issue, he must have been the one in contact with the syndicate. Well done UEFA and MFA.
Joe Degiorgio
Aug 18th 2012, 12:12
Sammut only played the first half so the other two may very well have led to the three goals in quick succession. they were acquitted for lack of evidence; how lucky.
A Cachia
Aug 18th 2012, 12:04
L-EX president tal-MFA kien qal li fil-futbol MALTI ma hawnx koruzzjoni...... ma nafx liema kampjonat ma fih l-ebda element ta koruzzjoni....
Rodnick Abdilla
Aug 18th 2012, 11:49
Kevin is a friend of mine, which I am ashamed to say so now, people like him that betrayed the whole nation should be trialed in court , he should be sentenced in jail. Apart of all this i don't believe that he was alone the other two were lucky to get out of this free if i were a president of a club i released them immediately I am sure they are part of all this plot SHAME ON YOU ALL !!!
kevin gatt
Aug 19th 2012, 14:47
Dear Mr Rodnick Abdilla,
I shudder when I read posts of people like you,where you really a friend of his,I seriously doubt it,because a friend is a friend for life. This story sounds more like a FRAME UP rather than the truth. Those people that are truly Kevin's friends would never believe that he has done what he is being accused of.THE GAME is PLAYED by 11people and KEVIN played only half the game apart from other facts which are not published, SHAME on you for judging him so easily.
PEOPLE JUDGE TOO EASILY and if one looks a bit around himself I am sure you are not perfect. If there are 10 real men in MALTA, KEVIN is one of them,if not the BEST ONE. Me and my family are his true friends.
mark borg
Aug 18th 2012, 11:45
biex qed tiskantaw ?....kellna prim imhalfin hawn malta li mhux talli inxtraw ghal ftit ewro..imma icapsu ma l-ghar criminali...
James Vella
Aug 18th 2012, 12:07
So what ? all of them have betrated the Maltese nation, whether in court or on the pitch. sHAME ON YOU ALL
m. borg (slm)
Aug 18th 2012, 11:45
4 were initially named, only three appeared before the board whilst only one got punished.
1. whatever happened to the 4th one, who is he?
2. If Kevin only played the first half who took care of the goals in the second half?
3. Yet "While Mr Wellman and Mr Scicluna had played the full 90 minutes, Mr Sammut had been substituted at half time."
This case has not been resolved there are still a lot of lose ends especially the matter regarding the 4th player, again I ask who was he?
mark borg
Aug 18th 2012, 11:42
pero din ma tghamilx sens , jhekk qlajna 3 fl ahhar 10 minuti ..u dan il pleyer lanqas kien fil ground...kf wehel hu biss ?
mhux biex nigustifika lil Kevin pero cert li hemm hafna ohrajn imcapsin f dan it team..li xi hadd qed jahbilhom .
John Farrugia
Aug 18th 2012, 11:53
Ezatt bhalek qed nahseb
kevin gatt
Aug 19th 2012, 14:48
PROSIT SIEHBI.
David Bezzina
Aug 18th 2012, 11:39
L-att ta' korruzzjoni hu hazin u kundanabbli fi kwalunkwe cirkostanza pero' li taghmel dan l-att meta qed tirraprezenta lil pajjizek huwa tal-misthija.Fejn hu ir-rispett lejn pajjizek ?
Nikos Diak
Aug 18th 2012, 11:29
The match was fixed on the over 2.5 goals and 3.5 goals. Norway had scored three goals in the last 18 minutes and Mr Sammut had been substituted at half time. So I guess he had more of a coordinating role in the fix and there were more players involved.
twanny borg
Aug 18th 2012, 11:23
basta waqt l-innu malti jzommu idhom fuq qalbhom. nahseb ahjar jaghmluha mall-but............
paul borg
Aug 18th 2012, 11:00
10 year ban is a good example . well done mfa
marco caruana
Aug 18th 2012, 10:54
oqodu morru l ground BHAHAN !!!!!
jien wiehed min tas south end core dejjem bil bandiera ta MALTA f idi ....
DAQSHEKK ERSAQT LEJ GROUND
Rodnick Abdilla
Aug 18th 2012, 11:52
minhabba dawncwiec majehilx kullhadd
Mario Camilleri
Aug 18th 2012, 23:37
Ma tistax tghid li kull player huwa mixtri...anzi kull membru fil-kumitat kif ukoll kull min involut fil-football irid jaccetta dawn il-hniezrijiet ghax itajrulu rasu!!!
Hu fatt li fin-nazzjonal minn dejjem kellna xi kummiedja!
Ezempju Malta v Olanda 8-0 van basten u gimghatejn wara tlifna 1-0 away penalty ma kienx!!!! Zewg loghbiet suspettuzi
Malta ma l-italja gewwa bergamo smajt li kienu laghbu li niskurjaw goal (4-1 penalty buzu) mhux xorta tlifna!!!
U nitkellmu nazzjonal floriana tilfu 8-0 darbtejn....araw naqra l-asia x'qed jaghmlu fuq betting loghob ta malta u nassigurakom li malajr taghmlu part time investment facli !!!!
Dawn il-players FLUS jaraw tkun xi tkun il-loghba minn friendly sa loghba tan-nazzjonal ihawdu!!
Mur oghqod arma sieghat shah south end core ghal wicchom jew ixtri xi goal card ha tara l-hmieg b'ghajnejk!!!
Tal-biki dan li sport :-(
Mario Micallef
Aug 18th 2012, 10:43
kieku ghall-qziez u tejatrini l-ewwel niehdu!!! pero bhal dejjem wara l-qoxra li naraw nifhmu l-irgulija!! dik li bniedem ibiegh il-flok ta' pajjizu!!! missek tisthi Kevin Sammut!
Charles Micallef
Aug 18th 2012, 10:34
Shame, shame shame on all those who because their personal greed gives the Nation's such a bad reputation in sport!
You should be hiding your faces in shame, shame, shame!
Adrian Galea
Aug 18th 2012, 09:45
And who are the other names??? One player can`t fix a game!!
Stefan Farrugia
Aug 18th 2012, 11:47
I agree 100% Adrian. It is impossible for one player to influence the result of a football game... there must be other players involved. shame on you Kevin!!
Silvio Abela
Aug 18th 2012, 09:32
A long time ago, when the Ta Qali turf pitch became a reality, a prominent figure then and now in the Maltese youth football scene had commented, I think on this same paper, that it is wiser to "mow" the weeds out of the Maltese game before we start playing on the green turf grass. I think his comment is still valid today. And let's don't forget what the Italian football scene is passing through and what it has passed through. This happens where there are tons of money involved and the only option is to remove the millions from the game as there is no honour left in this gentlemen/gentle-lady sports. It's just money. And it is a shame.
Mark Demicoli
Aug 18th 2012, 09:11
life ban and that would be the end of him - a deserved end for such CRIMINALS!
paul camilleri
Aug 18th 2012, 09:01
Sir i am not a follower of football never have been and never will be. but when i read that a low life is ready to betray his team and country i would not only ban him/her for 10 years basically his football career by an outside entity, as a country this chap should be heavily penalised finacially and stripped from his priveleges as a Maltese Citizen.
this is Treason to our Country and Nation and not just a mare case of corruption!!!
twanny borg
Aug 18th 2012, 08:56
tradiment tradiment. kif tista' tirrapresenta l-pajjizek u tinxtara? ma nistax nemmen. x'egoizmu u tostagni! att kriminali.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Aug 18th 2012, 08:23
How could you possibly sell your self for a few € ,s
Ninu
m. borg (slm)
Aug 18th 2012, 11:47
Is that question for real mate?
People sell their soul for the "almighty EURO/DOLLAR"
Charles Saliba
Aug 18th 2012, 08:16
Maybe this will serve a lesson......hopefully
Mr CHARLES TANTI
Aug 18th 2012, 12:41
Hopefull never, when from four accused only one giulty.
You forgot the shame full result of 10 .0 away.
Jake Mizzi
Aug 18th 2012, 07:56
These players have not only corrupted the game but also "indirectly" betrayed their country ... in my humble opinion they deserve a worse punishment but who am I to judge ? :)
Mr John Borg
Aug 18th 2012, 07:55
I am amazed how people still go to watch local football. Be it domestic and also when the National Team plays.
marco caruana
Aug 18th 2012, 07:44
'''UEFA said it banned Mr Sammut from any football related activity for 10-years and would be requesting FIFA to extend the ban, to give it a worldwide effect''''.
nahseb ha jmur mal barcellona !!!!
C Pace
Aug 18th 2012, 07:32
How come it had to be the UEFA disciplinary inspectors to find 'more compelling evidence' when MFA had already probed into the incident? Why cant we do anything from A to Z inhouse? Corruption?
E. Vassallo
Aug 18th 2012, 07:22
Mur oqghod tbahnan u ara in-nazzjonal Gahan!!!Dan partita tan nazzjonal biegh u mhux loghba tal league!!!!
Wenzu Vella
Aug 18th 2012, 07:08
Dose this mean that every match we play is fixed because it seems that we lose by a bag full of goals every time.
niki micallef
Aug 18th 2012, 07:05
ma nafx kemm jista jkun li ma kellux lil haddiehor mieghu ghax stramba l bicca li Kevin gie mibdul fil half time u xorta qlajna 3 ohra fl'ahhar 18 il minuta biex spiccajna 4-0.Ma nahsibx li ghandha tispicca hawn din li storja
mark borg
Aug 18th 2012, 06:59
mela ghandha klikka mhux fil politika biss...anke fit team nazzjonali tal football !
Mario Camilleri
Aug 18th 2012, 06:36
About Spain 12-1 match, not only the maltese players must be investigated but also the spanish players whom I suspect took special drugs at half time (speed) which is clearly visible when you see the filming how sweaty and energetic the spaniards remained until the final minute!!! so lets not just talk about our players.
Its all over the world. its in every country, so the point is...no gov shall challenge such amount of zillions circled around the globe without killing anyone like drugs do ok? either be part of it or change the tv channel....its that simple!!!
Mario Camilleri
Aug 18th 2012, 06:32
Ah well now, lets see...hmmm, if I was the government and as well the MFA President, I will sit down with Kevin and offer him a job which as a professional scammer of football, will report to MFA wek in week out about the possibilities of fixed matches that as from this eve will start until end of May of next year!!!
The number of players and other personnel caught by Kevin, will be deducted from his suspension which is surely meant as life time since he is almost 30 if not more :-)
Heqq, din bhal tax-xoghol meta jaqbad lilek u lil shabek ma jaqbadhom hadd!!!! u kemm hemm iktar Alla biss jaf...pero haga hi konfermata....football mahmug iktar milli football nadif.
Mark Aquilina
Aug 18th 2012, 05:59
Shame on you Kevin. Selling your country's pride for money!!!! i really didn't expect such a thing from a person like you. But for money......................!!!!!
stephen koludrovic
Aug 18th 2012, 05:54
I dn't get it.
Mr Sammut was substituted at half time, and yet the three goals were scored in the last 20 minutes of the game when he was not playing.
Charles Micallef
Aug 18th 2012, 05:26
Disgusting episode in Malta's sporting history,
shame on the culprits,
their real and only intentions is greed and not sport!
Shaun Anthony Camilleri
Aug 18th 2012, 03:48
Isn't it ironic how players can be found guilty of corruption but no one is allowed to independently investigate Blatter and associates! Crime doesn't pay - if you are small fish.
J. Pace
Aug 18th 2012, 00:13
Why they don't catch the big fish? They are strong with the weak and making a comedy out of this game...
Why don't they investigate champions league games for example??? There is plenty of fish to catch there!!!
M Grima
Aug 17th 2012, 23:53
Fine way to represent our Country you cheats!!!!!
Karl pace
Aug 17th 2012, 23:49
Il haga li ma tantx iddoqqli hija din
mela l viper inqala flewwel half meta liskore kien adu 1-0 minn taht
wellman u scicluna jilabu loghba shiha, naqalaw 3 fit 2 half wiehed mill goals "zball" ta wellman u ma jehlu xejn u l viper 10 years .
jien ma nafx xemm ezatt pero ma nahsibx illi hija decizjoni gusta, pero jekk inuwa minnu, jiddispjacini nghid ikun haqqu izjed minn hekk ghax jekk tasal biex tiddradixxi l pajjizek mandekx fejn tmur izjed .
Thanks
Franco Farrugia
Aug 18th 2012, 11:18
Emmm.... jigifieri inti taf iktar mill-MFA u l-UEFA f'daqqa? Ghax dan il-kaz, skont ir-rapport, gie investigat mhux darba, imma darbtejn.
Din li kulhadd jahseb li jifhem iktar minn min verament qieghed hemm biex jiggudika, 'ma tantx iddoqqli'.
Joe Fenech
Aug 17th 2012, 23:47
Who cares about a 10 year suspension? This is an amateur player who wouldn't be active in 10 years time. A big fine and a jail sentence would have been the solution.
Steve Zammit
Aug 17th 2012, 23:28
Kevin Sammut biss????
Luciano Pace Parascandalo
Aug 17th 2012, 23:02
justice should be sought in local courts with regards to corruption charges.....if found guitly should be given interdiction since this constitutes betrayal to the country he would have been supposed to represent
JOSEPH VELLA
Aug 17th 2012, 22:46
How about investigating local football leagues?
anton cassar
Aug 18th 2012, 10:34
Jekk issir investigazzjoni bis-serjeta kieku l-football malti jispicca !!
Philip Pace
Aug 17th 2012, 22:43
If I recall the investigation re the 12-1 defeat against Spain were stopped by the then MFA President because if revealed they would do a lot of harm to Maltese Football!
A. Mifsud
Aug 17th 2012, 22:42
oh dear oh dear! This is just the tip of the iceberg, i'm afraid.
Mark Piscopo
Aug 17th 2012, 22:35
Hammrilna wiccna!! Ghandu jitlob apologija lill- poplu Malti!!
Karl Consiglio
Aug 17th 2012, 22:18
Corruption, when there is too much of it, every now and then there is bound to be a leak.
Joe Fenech
Aug 17th 2012, 22:18
Now investigate, jail and fine the culprits who humiliated Maltese football forever in the 80s after the 12-1 loss with Spain!!!
Vincent Galea
Aug 17th 2012, 17:27
Mirror, Mirror on the wall who's the most corrupt of all ?
Charles Sammut
Aug 17th 2012, 22:31
Hear..Hear....and what about the Olympic Tickets scandal??!1..hush..hushh..wink...wink..nudge..nudge..say no more!!
...and the corruption goes on...and the corruption goes on....
Joe Fenech
Aug 17th 2012, 17:21
What about the players and officials who were involved in the 12-1 match fix in the eighties? Why aren't these behind bars and why has no one been fined?
Anthony Arpa
Aug 17th 2012, 17:45
THIS CASE WAS LONG AGO ... WE ARE LIVING TODAY
Joe Fenech
Aug 17th 2012, 18:04
Oh, brilliant! That does not mean that they have not committed a serious crime!
A Mifsud
Aug 17th 2012, 19:18
Mr Arpa. Yes, it was a long time ago but the humiliation remains......it is brought up as a joke about maltese football many times. Ever since it happened I have been convinced that something was amiss, and just like wrongly convicted individuals get justice many years later why shouldn't Maltese football get this blemish removed.
Brimmer D
Aug 18th 2012, 06:53
@ A.Mifsud
I agree. Its a big humiliation and the Spanish made not one but two documentaries about it recently. I don't blame them. Shame on those involved in tarnishing the Maltese reputation! As for the time...well the evidence is on the video footage of that time no?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g35e13ZOaTU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z6tJV8Nl7M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GpvI-Pc19c&feature=related
Ivan Sammut
Aug 18th 2012, 10:01
And the cheek about it is that one player featured in a Spanish commercial ridiculing our nation all the way and obviously getting paid for that commercial God knows how much!!!
Cornelius Murphy
Aug 18th 2012, 10:30
When my Spanish friends used to tease me about it, I would quip back that a friend of mine has a lovely cliff-top villa built with the proceeds and I get invited to their pool each summer. Luckily, now that Spain has won so many proper football titles, the issue has stopped cropping up so much.
James Vella
Aug 17th 2012, 16:20
We have all the right to know who these disgusting players are
Joe Fenech
Aug 17th 2012, 17:43
You bet!
Noel Mifsud
Aug 17th 2012, 14:59
same me julian its a great shame, and please let me say that this foes to every other sportsman that is drug tested, he should never be given chance to participate in sports, which i know it is healthy not cheating.
Thomas Mifsud
Aug 17th 2012, 14:07
Għidulna min huma. Għandna dritt inkunu nafu minn huma dawn in-nies bla valuri. Bħalhom hawn iktar f'dan il-pajjiz mhux fil-futbol biss. Imma bilmod il-mod kollha jridu jieħdu t-tisbita.
Richard Zammit
Aug 17th 2012, 13:57
What amazes me is that all the fuss was brought up by the bookmakers as they lost some money , but funny who represents all the gamblers when it's the other way round , I'm pretty sure that they do fix games , otherwise they won't be in the business.
Mr Paul Aquilina
Aug 17th 2012, 23:14
Seriously? they won't be in business?
kenny greenan
Aug 17th 2012, 12:38
What??
Corruption in Malta?
NEVER ! !
julian caruana
Aug 17th 2012, 12:08
whoever these palyers are if found guilty i hope theyw ill never again wear the national shirt.
mark johnson
Aug 17th 2012, 14:43
It may even be a crime under Norwegian law and they might be extradicted to face criminal charges.
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