Former national team footballer Kevin Sammut, who was yesterday found guilty by UEFA of match-fixing in the Euro 2008 qualifier between Norway and Malta, will be appealing the decision, his lawyer Michael Sciriha said this afternoon.
Dr Sciriha was speaking after arriving from Geneva with the player. Mr Sammut was given a 10-year-ban by UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary body. UEFA said it would also be requesting FIFA to extend the ban, to give it a worldwide effect.
Mr Sammut refused to speak to the media and was immediately whisked away to his wife and parents, who were waiting for him.
Dr Sciriha told the press that the UEFA trial was unfair and it was a legal victory that his client had walked off with a 10-year suspension when the prosecutor had been asking for a lifetime ban.
This sentence had been given in spite of the fact that the defence witnesses had not been given the opportunity to testify.
The defence had 12 witnesses but they could not be heard as his client would have had to cover all their expenses.
Dr Sciriha said he could not understand how UEFA could not ensure a fair trial.
He said the defence team would be calling a press conference to give a detailed explanation as to why they deemed the whole process unfair.
The case came to light in May last year after Croatian fraudster Marijo Cvrtak, an ally of Ante Sapina who headed a notorious betting syndicate, testified during his trial in Bochum that he had met with at least three Malta players at an Oslo hotel to rig the Norway-Malta game. He was also heard by the UEFA body today.
In the game, Norway had scored three goals in the last 18 minutes for a 4-0 victory.
The MFA had launched its own independent probe, which it concluded in March. It then passed the findings to UEFA, which had requested to take over the case since the match in question fell under its jurisdiction.
Investigations conducted by two UEFA disciplinary inspectors when they visited Malta in April found more compelling evidence.
Stephen Wellman, who plays for Qormi FC, and Kenneth Scicluna, also on Valletta’s books, were cleared of the same charges because of lack of evidence.