Nadur Youngsters relegated after match-fixing attempt

Nadur Youngsters will have to play in the Gozo Football League Second Division 2015/16 after the MFA Board to Adjudicate Charges relating to Bribery and Illegal Betting in Football found them guilty of charges related to an attempt of match-fixing ahead of a First Division match between Nadur and Xewkija Tigers in February.

Nadur were charged “to have acted in breach of Article 4 of the Regulations on Bribery and Betting Regarding Football Matches when Mr Anthony Sam Portelli, ex Secretary of Nadur Youngsters FC, involved himself in a corrupt act or practice as defined in the said regulations when prior to the match between Nadur Youngsters FC and Xewkija Tigers FC on the 7th February 2015 you (then Secretary of Nadur Youngsters FC) offered an amount of consideration to Mr Peter Buttigieg, player of Xewkija Tigers FC, with the intention that such player in any manner whatsoever influences or changes in an unsporting manner the normal course of the result of the said match and that of the match between the same teams of the 22nd March 2015 which was in breach of Article 2, 3 and 6 of the Regulations on Bribery and Betting regarding football matches.”

Nadur were found guilty as MFA regulations state clearly that whenever a club official is found guilty, the club has to suffer the consequences.

For this reason, the Board decided to demote Nadur Youngsters from the First Division to the Second Division and fine them the sum of €4,000.

On the other hand, Anthony Sam Portelli was charged “with involvement in a corrupt act or practice as defined in Article 2 and 3 of the Regulations on Bribery and Betting Regarding Football Matches when prior to the match between Nadur Youngsters FC and Xewkija Tigers FC on the 7th February 2015 you (then Secretary of Nadur Youngsters FC) offered an amount of consideration to Mr Peter Buttigieg, player of Xewkija Tigers FC with the intention that such player in any manner whatsoever, influences or changes in an unsporting manner the normal course of the result of the said match and that of the match between the same teams of the 22nd March 2015 and this in breach of Articles 2, 3 and 6 of the Regulations on Bribery and Betting regarding football matches. ”

The Board said that after hearing the evidence and the admission by Anthony Sam Portelli in front of the board, it had no doubts that he was guilty. He was therefore handed a life ban from any position within the Gozo Football Association and the Malta Football Association.

These decisions were taken on Thursday during a meeting of the Board which was composed by chairman Joseph M. Azzopardi, Dr. Vincent Micallef and Ronnie Abela.