End of the line?

At 31, Kevin Sammut is in the last chapter of his football career that started with Sliema Wanderers in 1998.

But a 10-year ban from football imposed by Uefa, the European football body, will effectively close the book for good.

Mr Sammut, known as il-Viper, was found guilty by Uefa’s disciplinary body of fixing the Euro qualifier match between Malta and Norway in 2007.

The midfielder was in the starting line-up of that match but was substituted at half time. Malta conceded three easy goals in the last 18 minutes of the game to lose 4-0.

UEFA’s decision on Friday created mixed feelings. While Mr Sammut was found guilty, two defenders who played the full 90 minutes, Stephen Wellman and Kenneth Scicluna, were absolved.

The question football enthusiasts were left asking was how could Mr Sammut been the only one responsible for match-fixing if there ever was such a case?

Nobody is likely to answer this question but one thing is certain, Mr Sammut’s playing career has been truncated unless Uefa’s decision is reversed on appeal.

Mr Sammut is currently on Valletta FC’s books after joining them in 2009. Last year the player was on loan with Ħamrun Spartans. He donned the national team jersey 37 times.

But irony characterises Mr Sammut’s career. He earned his first cap with the national team in 2005 in a friendly international at Ta’ Qali stadium against Norway. The bribery case concerned another match against Norway, two years later, this time from the Euro 2008 qualifiers in Oslo.

In 2008 Mr Sammut was voted player of the year by the Malta Football Association after an illustrious season with Marsaxlokk.

Additional reporting Valhmor Camilleri.