The Malta Football Association totally supports the bill proposed by the Anti-Corruption Task Force as the fight against all forms of match-fixing remains a high priority for the local governing body of football.

“The Malta FA Executive Committee stands full square behind the Anti-Corruption Task Force’s proposed bill and every effort being made to tackle the match-fixing plight not only in football but sports in general,” Angelo Chetcuti, the general secretary of the Malta FA, was quoted as saying in a statement yesterday.

At a meeting of the Malta FA Executive Committee, held yesterday, Dr Chetcuti highlighted the key points of the proposed anti-corruption bill which has been drafted by the Office of the Attorney General.

The bill proposes harsher punishments in the form of effective prison sentences to anyone who engages in the manipulation not just of the outcome but any of the aspects of a sporting event, and sets outs a series of aggravating circumstances.

Draft bill

The provision of inside information to third parties for illicit purposes is recognised as an offence in the draft bill which also stipulates that the punishment for athletes found guilty of bribery offences while representing the country rises by one degree.

Meanwhile, MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo noted with satisfaction that the association’s social responsibility initiatives under its Football For Life programme have been recognised by UEFA.

The European football body is giving €50,000 in financial assistance, under its Hat-trick project, to those national associations that already have a Football Social Responsibility programme.

Mr Darmanin Demajo said the Malta FA will make a financial donation to Bjorn Formosa’s ALS Malta Foundation.

It was also announced during yesterday’s Exco meeting that, by virtue of the changes regarding clubs’ access to the UEFA competitions for the four-year cycle 2018-2021, the club that wins the Maltese championship will be guaranteed two rounds of European football.

If, from season 2018/19, the Maltese champions fail to progress from the initial round of the Champions League, they will go into the Europa League.

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