The Premier Division Standing Committee (PDSC) have condemned the behaviour of MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo during the Council Meeting of last Wednesday.
Four representatives of Premier League clubs walked out of the meeting after voicing their opposition to the new seating plan introduced by the MFA which precludes them from sitting near each other.
“The PDSC can never accept comments like ‘you sit where we tell you’, uttered in a tone that showed lack of respect from the MFA president who is in that position to serve the clubs and not the contrary,” the PDSC said in a statement.
“Furthermore, the PDSC condemns the behaviour of the MFA president who didn’t allow representatives of Premier clubs to take part in the meeting, offering them only two alternatives: either to sit where he wanted them to or leave.”
The PDSC explained the reasons behind their disagreement with the decision to introduce an assigned seating for MFA meetings.
“It has been established that this new system was introduced because of the representatives of Premier League clubs,” the PDSC said.
“It was the MFA president himself who declared it had been adopted because, as he alleged, unfairly, representatives of Premier League clubs were staying near each other at meetings, creating a form of a ‘club’.
“The PDSC insists that the officials of Premier League clubs sit together during MFA Council meetings due to the need that may arise to consult each other on what is being discussed, and this happens because every time matters are put forward for decision without prior notification.
“It is an unfounded allegation that Council meetings were being reduced to a club-like discussion, moreso when these were under the control of the same Malta FA president.
“It is a known fact that the Council members representing Premier clubs are among those that participate actively in discussions.”
The PDSC said they remained willing to discuss with MFA officials any concrete proposal the association deems valid to keep improving Maltese football.
“The PDSC is preparing a series of reform proposals to further raise the level of Maltese football and attract more spectators to championship games,” the PDSC said, adding that the statement has been unanimously agreed upon by the representatives of all clubs in the top flight this season.