Norman Darmanin Demajo is to stand for re-election as president of the Malta FA at the next Annual General Meeting, to be held on July 30.
Darmanin Demajo’s future has been the subject of conjecture for several months as his second term at the helm of the local governing body of football expires this summer.
At the last Malta FA AGM, Darmanin Demajo had intimated that he needed time to reflect on his position but the indications are that he has now made up his mind to seek re-election.
With just over two months left for the vote of the top officials, Darmanin Demajo is expected to announce his intention to pursue a third, and possibly final, three-year term as MFA president during today’s Council Meeting at the Centenary Hall.
Darmanin Demajo has been spearheading the Malta FA, the largest single-sport association in the country, since 2010 when he unseated long-standing incumbent and bitter rival Joe Mifsud.
Three years ago, former MFA vice-president Peter Fenech, who had lost his seat in 2010, challenged Darmanin Demajo for the presidency but his bid ended on a deflating note.
Darmanin Demajo received a strong mandate from the club officials and delegates as he secured 117 votes to Dr Fenech’s 23.
For much of the past few months, several MFA and club officials have been encouraging Darmanin Demajo to put himself forward for re-election.
It remains to be seen whether Darmanin Demajo will have any challengers this time around as, until now, no other candidate has come forward.
The last few months have probably been the most testing in Darmanin Demajo’s tenure with his proposed business model for the Premier League, particularly his suggestion to increase the number of the teams in the top division from 12 to 14 and switch to a two-round championship, triggering a mixed reaction.
Nevertheless, this controversy seems to have done little to dampen Darmanin Demajo’s determination to press ahead with a series of initiatives he deems vital for the long-term sustainability of Maltese football.
While it is not yet known whether Darmanin Demajo will be challenged for his post, the same can’t be said for the three vice-president seats.
New contenders
The three serving vice-presidents, Chris Bonett, who also heads the association’s legal department, Alex Manfrè and Ludovico Micallef, are set to stand for re-election but they will not be on their own.
Dr Bonett declared his intention to contest the election earlier this year while Manfrè has also confirmed his candidacy.
Victor Cassar, the long-serving Ħamrun Spartans official, and Angelo Chetcuti, the vice-president of second division club Birżebbuġa St Peter’s and a member of the Malta FA Executive Committee, will also be vying for one of the three vice-president seats.
Cassar announced his candidacy at the last meeting of the Premier League Standing Committee while Chetcuti, a lawyer by profession, has also let it be known that he intends to join the race.
Antoine Portelli, who served as Malta FA treasurer from 2010-2013, has also been touted as a potential candidate for the election of vice-presidents but the former Msida St Joseph official is still weighing up his options.
In 2013, the race for the vice-president slots attracted six challengers with Dr Bonett winning the ballot with 101 votes ahead of Manfrè, 86, and Micallef, 75.
The three unelected candidates were Carmelo Bartolo, Donald Spiteri and Peter Busuttil.