Mosta FC’s hopes of avoiding relegation this season suffered a blow yesterday after they were deducted five points by the Malta FA Control and Disciplinary Board.

In a hearing held earlier this week, the struggling Premier League club were charged with effecting illegal payments to one of their foreign players who is registered as an ‘amateur’.

Having analysed all documents and heard the arguments put forward by the club’s representative during a hearing, the Control and Disciplinary Board ruled that the money Mosta were paying to the player amounted to a salary rather than a “reimbursement of expenses” and that was in breach of the MFA Status and Transfer of Players regulations.

In light of this, the board ordered that Mosta be deducted five points and also slapped with a fine of €5,000.

Mosta can appeal against this decision.

The Malta FA Prosecutor had filed the charge against the Blues on the basis of a report drawn up by the association’s Board of Inquiry following an inquest into the alleged use of forged documents and false information in the application for work permits of non-EU football players by the same club.

The Board of Inquiry found that the flagged irregularities had occurred and made a series of recommendations for the Malta FA to increase its levels of scrutiny for such applications.

The ruling means that with three matches left, third-bottom club Ħamrun Spartans are now mathematically assured of their Premier League status for another season.