Life-bans for Roderick Fenech, Massimo Grima

Former Hamrun Spartans players Roderick Fenech and Massimo Grima were both handed a life-ban for match-fixing by the Board to Adjudicate Charges Relating to Bribery and Illegal Betting in Football.

Massimo Grima and Roderick Fenech were accused of approaching another Hamrun Spartans player – goalkeeper Andrea Cassar in order to influence the normal course or the result of the BOV Premier League match between Hamrun Spartans and Hibernians played on January 19th, 2013. Grima and Fenech were also accused of involving themselves in match-fixing relate to the match between Hamrun Spartans and Birkirkara played on Feburary 13, 2013.

Fenech was also accused of failing to inform the MFA General Secretary that he, together with Gianluca Calabretta, had been approached by two Hamrun Spartans committee members Julian Friggieri and Elton Borg in order to influence the normal course or the result of the BOV Premier League match between Hamrun Spartans and Balzan Youths on November 17, 2012. These were all in breach of MFA regulations with regards to bribery and match-fixing.

Both Massimo Grima and Roderick Fenech were found guilty of the charges brought against them and were therefore banned for life.

In August 2013, Hamrun were fined €10,000 and had seven points deducted from the BOV First Division campaign 2013/14. The two former Hamrun Spartans committee members – Elton Borg and Julian Friggieri, were also banned for life.