Local clubs have been engaged in a race against time to ensure that the registration documents of players from non-EU countries comply with Malta FA regulations ahead of the start of a new season.
Last month, the Malta FA Executive Committee decreed that clubs had until 5.30pm yesterday to submit an authenticated application of a work permit, an issued work permit or registration with the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) for non-EU players.
Clubs must attach one of these three documents to the customary Form F and the work contract to register a player from a non-EU country. According to a letter sent to clubs this month, there were 114 players whose registration was not in line with MFA regulations.
The MFA’s Legal and Football Governance Department, headed by Chris Bonett, had also warned clubs that incomplete registrations will be struck off by the general secretary after the deadline.
Over the past weeks several clubs intensified their efforts to push through the work permit applications for non-EU players with Identity Malta but it seems very unlikely that all will have managed to secure the required documents in time to beat the deadline.
Contacted by Times of Malta yesterday, officials of Premier League clubs complained about the laborious process to initiate an application for a work permit and the long delays encountered at the Identity Malta offices.
One official said the “amount of documents requested to apply for a work permit is exaggerated”, adding that he had to wait seven hours for his turn.
Bjorn Vassallo, the MFA general secretary, told Times of Malta that officials from the local football body had held a series of meetings with the authorities concerned to explore ways how to fast-track the application process but there was little progress.
Vassallo said the Malta FA had heeded the government’s call when, three years ago, it launched a public consultation for the simplification and reduction of bureaucracy of governmental entities.
“At our first meeting, held in Castille, we were directed to the relevant ministry,” Vassallo said.
“After these initial discussions, Chris Bonett and I attended more meetings with Identity Malta.
“The aim was to find ways to expedite the application process for a work permit for non-EU players.
“Football has a special status and deadlines are essential. As part of our players’ status reforms, we amended a number of regulations to assist our clubs with the registration of non-EU players.
“In addition to Form F and the work contract, clubs are also obliged to provide an authenticated application of a work permit, an issued work permit or registration with the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC).”
Vassallo insisted that the Malta FA is committed to ensuring that its regulations are in sync with government’s requirements but lamented the drawn-out process to apply for a work permit.
“This is putting added pressure on us,” Vassallo said.
“There is a problem to acquire a work permit for non-EU players and we have been trying to address it.
“As in many other matters affecting local sport, the MFA is a catalyst in pushing for change.
“Because of its specificity, sport should be given special attention by the authorities for the benefit of all the stakeholders.”
The issue of the registration of non-EU players with the country’s authorities surfaced in the final weeks of last season when Floriana lodged a protest against their 2-0 defeat to Birkirkara in the FA Trophy quarter-finals.
Floriana argued that some non-EU players at Birkirkara were ineligible to play as they didn’t possess a valid work permit. However, their complaint was turned down as, an article in the MFA regulations states that, a registration of a player will still be considered as a ‘bona fide’ one if, within seven days of the filing of such registration, the secretariat would not have notified the club that there is an irregularity and/or in the document/s or with regards to missing documents.
A similar protest filed by Hibs against their costly 2-1 league defeat to Birkirkara on the penultimate day of the season, was also thrown out by the MFA.
The MFA processes around 5,000 registrations every year.
As from this season, the MFA will extend the deadline for new registrations until midnight on the final day of the two transfer windows.