A draft action plan calling for tougher legislation against match-fixing, more investigative powers to the police and educational campaigns targeting football nurseries was unanimously approved during the first meeting of an anti-corruption task force.
The entity was set up a few weeks ago in the wake of shocking revelations made by the Malta Football Association’s integrity officer, Franz Tabone.
In a newsletter, he warned that the local game was “infested” with match-fixing to the point that it was “steadily destroying” the image of football. Subsequently, MFA general secretary Bjorn Vassallo reported that, in 2013, legal bets on the top two divisions totalled a staggering €70 million.
The anti-corruption task force is composed of the main stakeholders, including government and Opposition representatives, the gaming watchdog, the police, the Permanent Commission Against Corruption and the National Sports Council.
The draft action plan was outlined by MFA vice president Chris Bonett who said the strategy would be crucial to establish a clear definition of corruption. Its aims would also be to introduce tougher legislation and step up the drive against corruption at grassroots level among football nurseries.
Following yesterday’s meeting, all parties agreed to submit their feedback within a month while expressing unanimous approval of the draft plan.
Opening the meeting, Mr Vassallo urged all stakeholders to present a common front to prevent sports competitions from being “manipulated” by criminal gangs.
Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela conveyed the government’s readiness to take all necessary measures to curb such forms of abuse and the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, Chris Agius, said such crimes should be treated very seriously, just like drug trafficking and money laundering.
Shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi and PN sports spokesman David Agius expressed their support for measures aimed to step up the fight against match-fixing.
The recent match-fixing allegations that have rocked the local football scene will be discussed on Tuesday’s edition of #Times Talk at 6.45pm.