Joe Mifsud’s long tenure as president of the Malta Football Association is under a serious threat as today he faces strong challenger Norman Darmanin Demajo in a ballot for the top post at the country’s governing body of football.
Dr Mifsud, a UEFA vice-president since March 2009, has been at the helm for almost two decades, leading the organisation through thick and thin and emerging unscathed from other testing moments in his administration including two tense presidential elections which he won with narrow margins.
Elected MFA president for the first time in 1992, Dr Mifsud dedicated most of his time to the running of the association even though his strict style of leadership, where he is perceived to exercise absolute control, did not win him too many friends outside Ta’ Qali’s boundaries.
Darmanin Demajo, another seasoned football administrator, is saying that Dr Mifsud’s time is over and that the MFA requires a new management to keep up with the times and run on a more professional basis.
Considered by many as great allies when Darmanin Demajo was MFA treasurer back in the 1990s, the two broke relations almost ten years ago following disagreement on the way a particular contract on TV rights was handled by Dr Mifsud.
Darmanin Demajo reiterated his stance that negotiations of the type should have been discussed with more transparency and the bitterness that followed between the two developed into a full-fledged dispute that even rolled into the corridors of the law courts.
Three years ago, Darmanin Demajo challenged Dr Mifsud for the president’s post and fell short by just three votes.
Before him, former Valletta FC president Joe Caruana Curran was also unsuccessful in his bid to dislodge Dr Mifsud from his seat but this time around Darmanin Demajo is saying he has all cards in place to win the councillors’ vote.
Dr Mifsud is urging club delegates to give him another three-year mandate on the back of his performance these past three years where several football-related projects were completed to further enhance the development of the game on our shores.
Darmanin Demajo has built his campaign on a pledge to give more power to the clubs. He has also vowed to inject more finances into their coffers through various initiatives.
Insiders are saying that the result of today’s election will again be decided by a few votes that would sway the tide one way or the other.
Indeed, the delegates eligible to vote have a huge decision to make this afternoon, one that will have a bearing on the future of the local game.
MFA Elections
Post of president: N. Darmanin Demajo, J. Mifsud.
Vice-presidents (3): C. Bartolo, P. Fenech, A. Manfre, L. Micallef.
Treasurer: P. Bugeja, A. Manfre, A. Portelli.
Premier Division (2): J. Abela, V. Cassar, J. Gauci, P. Spiteri, J. Vella.
Division One (2): C.J. Scerri, J. Sammut.
Division Two (2): T. Demanuele, J. Farrugia, B. Vassallo.
Division Three (2): J. Farrugia, R. Micallef.
Member Clubs (2): J. Agius, V. Cassar, J. Farrugia, J. Gauci, P. Spiteri, J. Vassallo, J. Vella.
Youth FA (1): J. Micallef.
Gozo FA (1): C. Calleja.
Member Associations (2): K. Cassar, J. Cassar Naudi, D. Spiteri.