The Malta FA Protests Board yesterday ruled in favour of Hibs who contested the eligibility of English midfielder Harry Agombar to play for Floriana, officials of both clubs told The Times.

Hibs had lost their second-round match against Floriana 1-0 but that defeat was overturned yesterday with the Protests Board awarding the Paolites a 3-0 win after upholding their protest over Agombar who only came on in the dying minutes of Friday’s game as a substitute for Igor Coronado.

The decision to hand the three points to Hibs propelled them to the top of the BOV Premier League standings, one point ahead of rivals Valletta.

Hibs successfully claimed that Agombar, who joined Floriana in the final days of the January transfer window, can’t play for the Greens as he had already turned out for two clubs this season – English non-league sides Grays Athletic and Histon FC.

Agombar was also registered with Macclesfield Town but didn’t make an official appearance for the Conference league outfit. According to FIFA rules, players can’t represent more than two clubs in one season.

In their submissions, Floriana argued that a non-league club in England is similar to an amateur club from one of the Malta FA’s member associations and compete in regional leagues.

Furthermore, the Greens claimed, Agombar only had short, emergency-loan spells with Grays Athletic and Histon FC.

For their part, Hibs insisted that non-league clubs are members of the English FA and dismissed the notion that emergency loans should not be taken into consideration when counting the number of clubs a player has represented in one season.

The FIFA regulations on the transfer of players first came to light last year in the Premier League.

On that occasion, Tarxien won their protest against Marsaxlokk after claiming that Serbian Ivan Kurtusic was ineligible to play for the Southerners as he had already figured for two other teams during that same season.

Floriana were represented by Dione Borg, delegate Frank Agius and Steve Vaughan Jr.

Division One

Playing today (Centenary Stadium) 6pm Marsaxlokk vs Birżebbuġa St Peter’s; 8pm Żejtun Corinthians vs Pietà Hotspurs.

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