Two players who were on the books of Mqabba FC last season, Marko Potezica and Julian Briffa, were handed long-term suspensions this week after testing positive for banned substances during BOV Premier League matches last season.
Potezica, strongly linked with a move to Sliema Wanderers in the off-season, was banned from all football activities for nine months as his sample at the end of the match Mqabba played against Mosta on April 21 returned a positive result.
Sliema engaged former Mqabba coach Clive Mizzi at the end of last season.
However, their interest in Potezica waned when the Serb’s B sample confirmed the presence of banned substances.
Briffa, meanwhile, was suspended until July 4 next year. The defender had returned a positive test in a Relegation Pool match against Ħamrun Spartans on May 11.
Mqabba were relegated after only one year in the Premier League.
The Malta FA also deemed fit to slap Mqabba with a €400 fine for having two players failing a dope test in the same season.