The Malta Football Players Association is complaining once again about the lack of medical doctors on the bench during football matches.

The MFPA said that on the 31st January Sliema player Saviour Fidelis suffered a serious injury while providing his services to his club and last weekend Samba Camara of Luqa St. Andrew’s suffered a serious injury while playing in a Third division match. On both instances, the ambulance driver found obstructions (closed gate or pitch inaccessible) and had to wait for several minutes before the player could be taken to hospital.

“One month ago the MFA reminded the clubs that it is their responsibility to have a medical doctor on the bench during matches. A few days after, MFPA issued a statement that reminding clubs is not enough and clubs should be fined if a doctor is not present.”

Over the last weekend, out of all the Premier League clubs, only Valletta and Floriana had a doctor on the bench; no First Division and Third Division club had a doctor while only Zabbar St. Patrick had a doctor in the Second Division. In the First Division, there were two clubs who did not even have a physiotherapist or a masseur on the bench, nine in the Second Division and eight in the Third Division.

“The MFPA is once again urging the Malta Football Association to take action and to make sure that at all match venues there is at least one doctor present and there is easy and unobstructed access for an ambulance. This is not acceptable anymore. The health and safety of players, referees and match officials should be safeguarded whilst they are performing their duties on the pitch,” concludes the statement.