Norman Darmanin Demajo elected new MFA President

Norman Darmanin Demajo was elected to the post of President of the Malta Football Association after beating Dr Joe Mifsud by 46 votes during the Annual General Meeting which was held on Saturday. The former MFA treasurer polled 77 votes and Dr Mifsud 31.

There will be also be a new vice-president as Alex Manfre was elected to the post together with Carmelo Bartolo and Ludovico Micallef. Antoine Portelli was elected treasurer.

One hundred and nine Council members and delegates of clubs and member associations were eligible to vote but one hundred and eight votes were cast due to the absence of a Council member.

Fifty-eight year old Norman Darmanin Demajo was among the founders of Luxol in 1968. As a player, he joined Qrendi FC in 1969 and moved to Valletta four years later where he played for nine years. With the Citizens he won the Championship three times and the FA Trophy three times. Darmanin Demajo then joined Melita before returning to St. Andrews.

Turning to the administrative side of football in 1988, he was a Council Member and then an Executive Commitee Member. In 1992, he was elected as MFA Treasurer, serving in the post until 2001. Darmanin Demajo served on the UEFA Youth Committee between 1994 and 2001.

Newly-elected president Norman Darmanin Demajo said that although an election may divide the members of a family due to different opinions, in a democracy, everyone has to accept the outcome of an election. He thanked Dr Mifsud for the service rendered to the association over the past years and said he was confident that he would continue to work for the benefit of the local game as UEFA vice-president.

Darmanin Demajo appealed to those present to get together and work to deliver what has been promised.

On the other hand, before leaving the chairmanship of the meeting, Dr Joe Mifsud said that although naturally he was disappointed, at the same time, he was glad that he no longer has to shoulder the huge responsibility of being MFA president. Dr Mifsud said that he was leaving in the hands of the new president a strong association in a healthy financial position. Despite being one of the smallest football associations in Europe, he said the association was well-organised and all in all, it did make progress over the years.

The outgoing president thanked all those he worked with over the past twenty-eight years and wished the association success in the coming years. Dr Mifsud concluded by saying that he will not harm the association he has been working hard for.

Meanwhile in the election for the posts of vice-president, Carmelo Bartolo, Alex Manfre and Ludovico Micallef were elected after obtaining 77, 78 and 67 votes respectively. The other candidate for the post Dr Peter Fenech obtained 52 votes. Dr Fenech was one of the the vice-presidents for the past three-year term.

The election for the post of treasurer was not held as Paul Bugeja withdrew his nomination, leaving Antoine Portelli as the only candidate.

Meanwhile the fourteen Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee will be Jesmond Abela, Joseph Gauci, Charles Scerri, Joseph Sammut, Tyrone Demanuele, Bjorn Vassallo, Joseph Farrugia (KIR), Raymond Micallef, Paul Spiteri, John Vella, Joe Micallef, Charles Calleja, Joe Cassar Naudi and Donald Spiteri.

Jesmond Abela (Hibernians) and Joseph Gauci (Birkirkara), will be representing Premier League clubs after obtaining 55 and 67 votes respectively. The other three candidates – Victor Cassar (Hamrun), Paul Spiteri (Valletta) and John Vella (Tarxien) obtained 19, 38 and 18 respectively

No election was necessary for the representatives of First Division, Second Division, Third Division, the Youth FA and the Gozo FA as the number of nominations was equal to the number of vacancies. Therefore Charles Scerri (Lija A.) and Joseph Sammut (Pietà) will be representing First Division clubs, Tyrone Demanuele (Gzira U.) and Bjorn Vassallo (San Gwann) Second Division clubs, Joseph Farrugia (Kirkop U.) and Raymond Micallef (Attard) Third Division clubs, Joe Micallef the Youth FA and Charles Calleja the Gozo FA.

John Farrugia (Zurrieq) withdrew his nomination for the post of representative of Second Division clubs.

Paul Spiteri (Valletta) and John Vella (Tarxien) were elected as Council members in representation of Member Clubs as they obtained 51 votes and 41 votes respectively. Joseph Agius (Balzan), Victor Cassar (Hamrun) and Joseph Vassallo (Mtarfa) obtained 13, 35 and 19 votes respectively. John Farrugia (Zurrieq) pulled out of the race.

The Council Members representing the other Member Associations will be Joseph M. Cassar Naudi and Donald Spiteri after obtaining 54 and 73 votes respectively. The other candidate for the post, Kenneth Cassar obtained 40 votes.

Meanwhile two amendments to the Statute of the Malta Football Association, proposed by the Executive Committee, were approved.

The first amendment was about clause 128 “The Playing Season” in Part XI – Leagues and Competitions which stated that the football season should start on the 9th June and ends on the 8th June the following season rather than starting on the 8th and ends on the 7th.

The other amendment was about clause 147 “Advocates and Legal Procurators representing Members” in Part XIV – Miscellaneous Matters regarding the eligibility of a lawyer or legal procurator representing a member club. The amendment states that a lawyer, legal procurator or notary public may represent a club or member association in the capacity of delegate or substitute delegate, not only if he is the president or secretary but also if he had served for five whole seasons for a club or member association.

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