Ħamrun Spartans are prepared to go through all means possible to clear the club from any wrongdoing following the news on Monday that three Reds players and two former club officials will be facing charges for their alleged involvement in match-fixing.

The players – captain Roderick Fenech, Massimo Grima and Gianluca Calabretta – were all provisionally banned as the Malta FA also suspended Elton Borg and Julian Friggieri who served on the Ħamrun Spartans committee last season.

“We distance ourselves from any illicit acts,” a Ħamrun Spartans statement said yesterday.

“We are against all kind of abuse and soon we shall be meeting club members to give them a clearer picture of the situation.

“The committee is weighing all options and we are not ruling out legal action against those indi-viduals, players or officials, who damage the name of Ħamrun Spartans FC through their actions.”

The Spartans were relegated from the Premier League in May and a newly-elected committee was installed last month with the aim of guiding the team back to the top flight.

However, their plans could be derailed if the MFA probe reveals that the players and officials under investigation were involved in the match-rigging case which centres on four matches.

The Spartans could face severe sanctions if investigations show that club committee members were in-volved in match-rigging.

Penalties could range from fines, points docked or relegation to a lower league.