MFA issues statement over allegations by Qormi FC

The Malta Football Association issued a statement regarding a report on a Facebook page which claimed that Qormi Football Club had phoned at the MFA Headquarters on Monday at 18:50, ten minutes before the end of the transfer window, to inform the association that they had someone who was ready to pay €30,000 to have the prohibition on transfers lifted and that no one replied.

The statement by the MFA said that the phone call could lead to nowhere as the club is well aware that for a prohibition to be lifted, the payment had to be made at the MFA Headquarters and the Chairperson of the Board which would have imposed the prohibition would then instruct the association to lift the same prohibition. With just a phone call, the prohibition could not be lifted.

On the day, Qormi FC president Jesmond Aquilina was present at the MFA Headquarters with other persons as the club wanted to register a number of foreign players. They were informed that unless the payments were made, the players could not be registered. MFA Licensing Manager Mario Gauci informed Aquilina that he would wait for him until 19:00 to make the payment and then have the prohibition lifted.

Even if the payment was made by 18:50 on Monday and the prohibition was lifted, Qormi FC could not register these players as they had not yet filed a request for the International Transfer Certificate with the association they were coming from and these had to be received by the end of the transfer window.

The association said that in view of the above, the MFA could not offer any remedy to the club and said that it would have been much wiser for Qormi FC to talk with the association rather than making allegations through the media.

Meanwhile in a statement, Qormi FC denied that the club is trying to blame someone who is committed to helping all member clubs. The club said that in the absence of an official statement, what was reported by the media should be taken in its own context and this should definitely not be considered as the club’s official position.