MFA issues statement following comments by Msida president

The Malta Football Association issued a statement to clarify matters after a newspaper reported comments by Msida St. Joseph president Robert Farrugia on January 12.

The statement explains what led to the deduction of ten points in April and a further four points in July and denies an allegation that the former MFA President had given the club a one-month extension to make payments.

After Msida St. Joseph FC failed to honour decisions of the Players, Coaches, Players’ Agents & Member Clubs Complaints Board by failing to issue payments due to Stefano Grima, Kurt Magro, Kenneth Spiteri and Matthew Camilleri and coach Joe Abdilla, the Board of Control and Discipline had decided that if they failed to make these payments by April 7th, 2010, they will have two points deducted for each of these five cases. Msida did not appeal against this decision and since they failed to make the payments, they had ten points deducted from the BOV Premier League table on April 8th.

After failing to honour decisions of the Players, Coaches, Players’ Agents & Member Clubs Complaints Board by failing to make payments due to Roderick Baldacchino and Stefano Grima, the Board of Control and Discipline had decided that if they failed to make these payments by June 30th, another two points will be deducted from the table for season 2010/11 for each case. The club did not appeal against this decision and failed to make the payments and therefore on July 1st, Msida, had four points deducted from the BOV First Division League table 2010/11.

MFA General Secretary Joe Gauci denies that Dr Joe Mifsud, president of the Malta Football Association at that time, phoned, told or wrote to him, telling him that Msida were given an extension of one month to make these payments. No official or body of the association has the authority to cancel or change a decision of the MFA Board of Control and Discipline.

Even if such an extension was granted, Msida St. Joseph still would have not observed this date as the agreement over the payments were filed in August 2010. The prohibition was then lifted by MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo.