The BOV Gozo Football League Second Division match between Oratoy Youths and Sannat Lions in programme at the Kercem Ajax Stadium on Saturday was abandoned by referee Massimo Axisa after assistant referee Andrea Pavia was assaulted by a Sannat Lions player.
Oratory were leading 1-0 after Justin Azzopardi had put them ahead on the 8th minute. Sannat then had Daniel Borg sent off on the 87th minute and Antoine Camilleri on the 89th minute before the incident which led to the abandonment of the game.
The Malta Football Association and the Gozo Football Association both issued statements in which they deplored the incident and expressed their solidarity towards Pavia.
In another statement, the Malta Football Referees Association said it had full confidence in the Malta FA disciplinary bodies which will take all the necessary sporting measures to ensure that such acts are sanctioned and that everybody carries responsibility for their action.
Statement of the Malta FA – Incident in a Gozo Second Division match
The Malta Football Association deplores today’s incident in the GFA Second Division League match between Sannat Lions and Oratory Youths, where a Match Official was physically attacked.
The Association’s thoughts are with the Official in question, Mr Andrea Pavia, who was the victim of the deplorable violent act. The entire football family shows solidarity with Mr Pavia as well as the other two Officials, Mr Massimo Axisa and Mr Adrian Caruana.
There is no place for violence in football. Cowardly attacks such as this one tarnish the game and runs contrary to the very values it fosters such as discipline and unity. The Association trusts its disciplinary bodies will be taking all the necessary sporting measures to ensure that such acts are sanctioned and that everybody carries responsibility for their action.
It also solicits the Gozo Football Association and the club in question to take appropriate measures to avoid repetition of such acts.
Il-Gozo Football Association tiddeplora l-agressjoni fuq l-Assistent Referee
Il-Gozo Football Association tikkundanna bla riservi l-attakk li soffra l-uffiċjal tal-logħba Andrea Pavia iktar kmieni illum waqt il-logħba mill-kampjonat BOV Gozo Football League tat-tieni diviżjoni bejn Oratory Youths F.C. u Sannat Lions F.C. fejn plejer ta’ Sannat Lions F.C. aggredixxa lill-istess Andrea Pavia. Ser jittieħdu l-passi dixxiplinarji kollha meħtieġa kif jesiġi l-istatut tal-Assoċjazzjoni u dak tal-Malta Football Association.
Intant il-Gozo Football Association tesprimi solidarjetà mal-istess Andrea Pavia u kif ukoll mal-uffiċjali l-oħra s-Sur Massimo Axisa u s-Sur Adrian Caruana.
Atti bħal dawn ma hemmx posthom fil-football f’Għawdex u imkien. L-Assoċjazzjoni tirringrazzja ukoll lil Pulizija ta’ Malta tal-intervent u l-koperazzjoni murija.
MFRA STATEMENT – Gozo Second Division match incident
The Malta Football Referees Association (MFRA) deplores today’s incident in the GFA Second Division League match between Sannat Lions and Oratory Youths, where one of our Match Officials was physically attacked and verbally abused.
The MFRA’s thoughts are with the Official in question, Mr Andrea Pavia, who was the victim of the deplorable violent act. Also the MFRA shows solidarity with the other two officials, Mr Massimo Axisa and Mr Adrian Caruana.
There is no place for violence in football. Match officials play an integral role in the beautiful game we call football. Cowardly attacks such as this one tarnish the game and runs contrary to the very values it fosters such as discipline and unity.
The Malta Football Referees Association has full confidence in the Malta FA disciplinary bodies which will take all the necessary sporting measures to ensure that such acts are sanctioned and that everybody carries responsibility for their action. Also it’s vital that the Gozo Football Association and the club in question take serious measures to avoid such incidents to repeat themselves.
The MFRA is in constant contact with all the three match officials. We condone violence of any form and we wish the referee a speedy recovery.
Referees show a red card to violence.