Mosta and Pembroke Athleta came under severe criticism for the poor treatment to overseas players, including youngsters from United States and Nigeria, as world players union FIFPro advised its members not to join the two Maltese Premier League clubs who both denied the accusations.
Mosta and Pembroke have struggled badly in the BOV Premier League this year and they’re currently engaged in a tough fight to avoid relegation.
Mosta are second from bottom in the table on 16 points, two clear of Pembroke.
The two clubs had a difficult start to the campaign and during the January transfer window they brought in several new foreign players, particularly Pembroke who have almost changed their entire line-up of overseas recruits.
In a statement published on its official website, FIFPro said that it had received worrying information from various players who had recently agreed terms to play for Mosta or Pembroke.
“Players who recently signed contracts with Mosta FC and Pembroke Athleta have told the world players union they were housed in cramped conditions, and were ignored or even threatened when they complained about not getting paid on time,” FIFPro said.
“Aiming to launch their career in European football, dozens of young players from outside the European Union have been lured to sign contracts with clubs in Malta because it is relatively easy to secure a working visa.
“However, most players on the Mediterranean island earn less than $2,000 per month and, according to the recently-released 2016 FIFPro Global Employment Report, 79 per cent are not paid on time. Also, almost half (49 per cent) are not satisfied with medical support.”
The world players union quoted a teenaged US player who said that he had signed a contract for Pembroke as he looked to kick-start his career in Europe but said that when he complained that he was not being paid a salary of €700 per month on time he was ignored.
“I tried complaining but they really don’t care about foreign players,” the player, whose identity was not revealed, said.
“My words pretty much meant nothing to the club.”
The player said that he was one of five American players offered contracts in Malta after a US-based academy arranged for him to play a trial game in Sweden to showcase his skills.
According to the FIFPro statement, the player spent $4,000 in travel and accommodation.
The union also said that it had received information from several Nigerian players who were among 15 overseas players who were squeezed in a four-bedroomed house after signing for Mosta.
Some complained of the cold because the building had no central heating, FIFPro maintained.
Contacted by Times of Malta yesterday, Mosta FC president George Galea strongly denied the accusations of maltreatment of players and accused FIFPro of failing to verify the facts.
“I categorically deny all the accusations made by FIFPro,” Galea said.
“I’m disappointed that an organisation like FIFPro rushed into conclusions and didn’t check the real facts with us.
“Surely, it’s not true that we placed 15 foreigners in a four-bedroom house. All our overseas players are housed in five different accommodations and they live in very good conditions.
“As regards the central heating complaint, it’s just a frivolous comment as in Malta very few residences have central heating installed.”
Alex Calleja, the Pembroke Athleta FC president, also dismissed the report.
“We always try and pay our players in time and I had never received any complaint from one of them either through FIFA, UEFA or the Malta FA. We have always honoured our contracts,” he contended.
“In January, we replaced most of our foreigners and none of the ones who left have come back to complain that they were not paid their dues.
“As regards the American player who is alleging to have paid $4,000 in travel and accommodation expenses, I want to make it clear that we have nothing to do with all this as that formed part of the agreement he had with his academy to find a football club based in Europe.”