Senglea Athletic FC issued a statement in which they welcomed the decision taken by the Board of Appeal of the Malta FA which on Tuesday accepted the arguments put forward by Dr Adrian Delia who led the hearing on behalf of the committee represented by president Neil Carter and secretary Ryan Pellicano.
The club said that the Board of Appeal acted in accordance with the terms of reference assigned to it and duly informed the Executive Board of the MFA to reconsider the interpretation and application of Article 5 on the grounds that the terminology used undoubtedly refers to divisions and not to sections.
Earlier this month, the Malta FA had announced that following Pembroke Athleta’s decision to apply for a license in the Amateur category, despite the fact that the club was sportingly entitled to compete in the Premier League, as confirmed by the decision taken by the Executive Board in its meeting on the 15th of June 2022, the two vacant spots would be filled by Santa Lucia in the Premier League and Vittoriosa Stars in the Challenge League.
Vittoriosa Stars were the last team to be relegated from Group A of the Challenge League after finishing ninth and Senglea Athletic were the last team to be relegated from Group B of the Challenge League as they finished ninth.
In the statement, Senglea Athletic added that they are now calling on the MFA Executive Board to immediately ratify this decision in order to be able to prepare a competitive team for the Challenge League.
The club stressed that through the Appeal they have neither intended nor intend to disrupt the plans of Vittoriosa Stars but on the contrary they strongly believe that both teams should be in the draws for the Challenge League which will take place on Monday 18 July.
In the statement, Senglea Athletic thanked the Chairman and the members of the Board of Appeal for the handling of the case before them as well as the Malta FA Executive Board who gave them the opportunity to present in their entirety the points in favour of their argument before an independent board.
Il-klabb ta’ Senglea Athletic jilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon id-decizjoni tal-Bord tal-Appell mehuda tard ilbierah filghaxija fejn accetta l-argumenti mressqa mill-Avukat Adrian Delia li mexxa t-trattazzjoni ghan-nom tal kumitat rapprezentat mill-president Neil Carter u s-segretarju Ryan Polidano.
Fil-fatt il-Bord tal-Appell agixxa skont it-termini ta’ referenza li huma assenjati lilu u gustament informa lill Bord Ezekuttiv tal-MFA sabiex jerga’ jikkonsidra l-interpretazzjoni u l-applikazzjoni ta’ Artiklu 5 minhabba li t-terminologija uzata tirreferi bla ebda dubju ghal divizjonijiet u mhux ghal sezzjonijiet.
Fid-dawl tal-Appell mirbuh mill-klabb ta’ Senglea Athletic, tant li d-depozitu gie mroddi lura lilna b’mod shih, il-Kumitat jappella lill-Bord Ezekuttiv tal-MFA sabiex b’mod immedjat jirratifika din id-decizjoni ha nkunu nistghu nhejju tim kompetittiv ghac-Challenge League.
Il-klabb ta’ Senglea Athletic jaghmilha cara li permezz tal-Appell imressaq huwa la kellu u lanqas ghandu intenzjoni li jfixkel il-pjanijiet tal-girien taghhom Vittoriosa Stars, anzi jemmen bis-shih li z-zewg timijiet ghandhom ikunu fl-urna waqt it-tlugh tal-poloz tac-Challenge League nhar it-Tnejn 18 ta’ Lulju.
Fl-ahhar nett il-klabb ta’ Senglea Athletic jirringrazzja lic-Chairman u l-membri tal-Bord tal-Appell ghall-mod kif gie trattat il-kaz quddiemhom kif ukoll lill-Kumitat Ezekuttiv tal-MFA li tana l-opportunita nipprezentaw fl-intier taghhom il-punti favur l-argumentazzjoni taghna quddiem bord independenti.