The Premier Division Standing Committee issued a statement following the recent reports, allegations and investigations regarding match-fixing.
Referring to the attacks on Birkirkara president Dr Adrian Delia, the PDSC expressed its full support and said that it will back Presidents and club officials who are fully committed to keep the game clean. It also expressed its support to MFA Integrity Officer Franz Tabone.
During a meeting of the Council of the Malta Football Association on Tuesday, an emotional Dr Delia spoke about the attacks being directed at him and his family after Birkirkara FC asked police to investigate suspicious behaviour by goalkeeper Miroslav Kopric. He said that the game was under attack and unless all stakeholders were together in this battle against match-fixing, “we are going to lose.”
MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo expressed “unreserved support” to Dr Adrian Delia and also launched an appeal to anyone who has any information about match-fixing to come forward.
MFA Integrity Officer Franz Tabone rejected a report in another website claiming that six Birkirkara matches have been flagged, saying that official sports data partner Sportradar did not have such reports.
Meanwhile in its statement, the Premier Division Standing Committee expressed the concern of the Premier clubs this plague which continues to attack and undermine the local game and called anyone who has information regarding any type of corruption in sport to forward it immediately to the police. It stressed that whoever fails to speak and reveal such cases is corrupt as those performing the act of corruption.
The Premier clubs appealed to the police to give the necessary protection to the club officials working voluntarily for the good of the game which are ending up in difficult situations. Finally the clubs also call the police to use all powers to bring the persons concerned to justice in order to keep the football and Maltese sport in general clean.
Il-Premier Division Standing Committee (PDSC) jagħmel riferenza għas-sitwazzjoni preżenti tal-football Malti u r-rapporti, allegazzjonijiet u investigazzjonijiet marbuta mal-korruzzjoni u match fixing.
F’dan l-mument u quddiem l-attakki li qed jirċievi l-President ta’ Birkirkara FC, Dr. Adrian Delia, il-PDSC jtih l-appoġġ assolut kif ukoll lill-Presidenti u uffiċjali tal-klabbs li huma mpenjati biex il-football Malti jinżamm nadif. Il-PDSC jappoġġja bis-sħiħ il- ħidma li qed iwettaq l-Integrity Officer tal-MFA s-Sur Franz Tabone.
Fl-istess waqt il-PDSC jesprimi il-preokkupazzjoni tal-klabbs tal-Premier fuq din il- pjaga li qed tkompli tattakka u tnawwar il-football Malti u jappella biex kull minn għandu informazzjoni rigward kull tip ta’ korruzzjoni fl-isport jgħaddiha b’mod immedjat lill-Pulizija. Min ma jitkellimx u ma jikxifx l-korruzzjoni huwa korott daqs min qed jagħmel l-att tal-koruzzjoni.
Il-klabbs tal-Premier jappellaw bil-qawwi lill-pulizija biex jagħtu l-protezzjoni meħtieġa lill-uffiċjali tal-klabbs li qed jaħdmu b’mod volontarju għall-ġid tal-logħba u li qed jispiċċaw f’sitwazzjonijiet diffiċli. Il-klabbs jappellaw ukoll lill-pulizija biex tuża l-poteri kollha biex tressaq lill-persuni involuti biex tnaddaf il-football u l-isport Malti minn din il-pjaga.